


What Lies Beyond the Plum Tree

by silkhidingrose



Category: Haikyuu!!, Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Army, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Drama & Romance, Eventual sexy times, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, GOM are kind of assholes here but they get better, Gen, Harems, Multi, Mutual Pining, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Rewrite, Slow Burn, Time Skips, Violence, haikyuu boys run ahead for a while
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:54:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 58,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26082262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silkhidingrose/pseuds/silkhidingrose
Summary: Growing up in the dystopian remains of a country once known as Japan, Kotomi Fujisaki was sure all she needed in life were her closest friends, a good book, and her favorite plum tree, where she and her loved ones spent their quiet and tranquil childhoods.But when her friends are deployed to defend their crumbling borders from encroaching outsiders known as Wastelanders, her normal life is turned upside down. She finds that the war, once far from sight and out of mind, had come right to her doorstep.Literally.OC/VariousMilitary!Dystopian!AUBased loosely on Gusari's Battle Deployment series.
Relationships: Generation of Miracles & Original Female Character(s), Generation of Miracles/Original Character(s), Haikyuu!! Ensemble/Original Character(s), Haikyuu!! Ensemble/Original Female Character(s), Himuro Tatsuya/Original Female Character(s), Kagami Taiga/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases. 
> 
> A/N: Welcome! This is a very important pet project of mine,the result of a weird scenario that popped into my head when I was 18, and stayed there rent-free for 3 years before I decided to put it out. This was originally posted on Fanfiction, but I found that I didn't like how it was written. I was too excited. So I slowed down and rewrote it, and decided that I should post it here too. I hope you guys like it!

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** Chapter 1: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow **

_ Ash and dust filled her lungs as she coughed and hacked, looking up with tears in her eyes at the outstretched hand. She could hear them calling for her, telling her to return to them, but her eyes were locked with his.  _

_ “You said that they’re your world, but there’s more to the world than those guys,” his voice was louder than anyone else’s in the world right now. “you’re not caged. You’re free!” His truth finally reached her, crashing through the walls of deception she had helped them build around her. Without another thought, she lunged for his hand, gasping in desperation.  _

_ Bang. _

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_“Threads_   
Around and round   
Twist and bind together-   
If they (and we) meet not, what   
Will become of my life’s _jeweled belt?”_

_ [ http://www.wakapoetry.net/kks-xi-483/ ](http://www.wakapoetry.net/kks-xi-483/) _

“Ne, Kotomi, what is that you’re spouting?” The tanned young man looked up from his position, resting his head of royal blue upon the lap of a young girl with dark hair and the eyes of the cornflowers that grew in the garden outside their home. His short, wildly tousled hair tickled the bare skin of her thighs as he stares up at her with innocent, curious eyes the same royal blue of his hair. Her back is to the plum blossom tree that grew on the outskirts of the city they called home. The girl looked to him with a small giggle. 

“It’s a classic poem from the  _ Kokinshu,  _ a collection gathered by the imperial court. They’re ancient, long before the Citadel was even conceived. These aren’t even the  _ original  _ poems, but instead approximations by scholars who learned by word of mouth and what little records were left in the Old Citadel.” Her voice is gentle and melodic; and yet, there’s a bounce to her words. The questioning boy stared at her intently, lips parted slightly as if he were in awe of something. “Hey, Daiki, are you even listening?” 

“Not really.” 

“Ugh, figures!” She pouted as she rested raven locks against the bark, eyes scanning the lines of the poem as she read it over and over, soaking in every word. “Forget I even said anything.” 

“I shouldn’t be surprised that you know of such things, Kotomi-chan.” A powder blue haired boy offered from his spot beside her. Their shoulders touched as he helped himself to reading over her shoulder with a peaceful expression gracing his matching eyes. “If I had known this kind of thing interested you, I would have done more research myself.” He said, and though there was hardly any emotion in his voice, Kotomi knew he was really invested. Kotomi looked up with a laugh, leaning closer to him and nuzzling his shoulder. He was soft and child-like, hair seeming so pale and wispy that it felt like her hand would phase right through if she tried to run her hands through it. 

“It’s a lesser known collection,” announced a forest green haired boy as he pushed his black frames up the bridge of his nose, reading a book of his own. Though, he seems much more interested in listening to Kotomi read, even while he’s sitting on the opposite side of the tree. He was quite beautiful, with emerald green set in sharp, sternly-shaped sockets and equally sharp, petite features. He fiddled with a red clay teapot in his taped hands thoughtfully. His expression seemed soft as he glanced behind him to watch the girl study intensely, only to blush and look away when he caught Kuroko’s gaze as well, huffing indignantly. “Or should I say, one of the less popular ones.” 

“Even thought it’s from the Old Citadel, [ 1 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx#footnote1) , its critics said that the influences were too much like the Middle Land culture [ 2 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx#footnote2) , but I don’t think it means you can’t enjoy them. It seems like a nice day to read short, pretty things like this.” A warm summer breeze caressed them as if to emphasize this, the grass blades undulating like a sea of green through the fields and towards the city, a distant backdrop to their idyllic scene. Bright green earth met endless blue sky, two star-crossed lovers finding rendezvous in that distant city worlds away. The sight of the city was a painful reminder that this day wasn’t like the others. 

“You might be right about that…” Midorima agreed quietly, turning back to his book. 

“Read something else, Koto-chin.” The purple-haired giant yawned from the side unoccupied by Kuroko as he rubbed his eyes and patted the now empty bag of cookies. He ate much slower when he was with Kotomi, but he still ran out long before his stomach was ready for him to stop. When he couldn’t find anymore crumbs to lick, he settled for leaning on Kotomi again, resting his head on top of hers. “Or sing for us, but this is boring.” Despite his massive height at 13 making him look like a mythical being of sorts to some, his violet-themed smooth hair and droopy, deep-set eyes paired gave him a perpetually drowsy countenance. As such, he benefitted from a more balanced countenance. 

“But Kotomicchi’s voice sounds so pretty speaking in that Old Citadel Language,” announced the golden blonde, using Kotomi’s lap to rest his head as well. His hair was almost like the sun, framing his pretty face and long eyelashes. He could be a model, one day, though he announced he would hate that, since it meant that dating and marrying Kotomi before they turned 18 would be quite difficult. 

“I can’t even understand half of that.” 

“That’s because Kise-chin is stupid.” The blonde gasped indignantly at the purple haired giant’s insult, huffing.

“So mean! Ne, Kotomicchi, comfort me!” He wrapped slender fingers around her hand, pressing her warm fingers to his cheek and whining childishly. Kotomi patted his cheek to placate him, though she was still looking at her book. 

“Play nice, you two.” 

“Tch’, Kise, you’re too loud. Shut up a little, you’ll wake me up.” Aomine complained.

“You’re ruining the atmosphere, Kise. Leave.” Midorima ordered.

“Please quiet down, Kise-kun. I would like to hear Kotomi-chan a little better.” Kuroko’s condemnation was the final nail in Kise’s coffin, and the blonde cried out, flailing and kicking. 

“Kurokocchi too!? You guys are the worst!” A soft laugh distracted them from their rising quarrel. Kotomi couldn’t hold back her amusement. cornflower blue eyes disappeared behind long, fluttering lashes as she tilted her head to the side. A dainty hand reached up to hide her smile, though the corners of her lips could be seen through the gaps of her slender fingers. It sent a collective throb to all around to witness it. Kise whined and nuzzled the skin of Kotomi’s leg, which earned a choked sound from the green-haired boy. 

“Ah, I could spend all day like this.” Kise sighed and turned his head to smile at Kotomi, who blushed slightly. 

_ If only he(she) knew how cute she(he) looks right now... [ 3 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx#footnote3) _

“Kise, you’re so improper…” Aomine grinned wolfishly as her reached up and wrapped his arms around Kotomi’s waist. 

“Come on, Midorima, you just wish it was you.” Another choked noise escaped Midorima’s throat as he turns a bright red color, taking on a Christmas theme. 

“I-I am not vulgar, so I don’t wish anything like that!”

“Mine-chin and Kise-chin are perverts. I’ll crush the both of you…” Murasakibara complained, wrinkling the bag of snacks in his large hands.

“I am also annoyed.” Kuroko said stiffly. Kotomi smiled tenderly at this and ran gentle hands through royal blue and golden blonde locks. This earned surprised, but embarrassed expressions from her childhood friends. Kotomi smiled at them, her eyes glittering in the early afternoon sun. 

“It makes me happy to be with you guys like this...” Though her smile seemed to deflate, her high-spirited mood saddening.

“We probably…won’t be able to do this for a while, huh…? Once you guys start your training at the end of this week, and all…” The faces of the young boys around her faltered from their previously peaceful demeanors, as reality began to rear its ugly head once more. 

“I thought we came out here to forget shit like that.” Kotomi flicked Aomine’s head, which made him flinch and glare softly at her. But she knew she didn’t have to scold him for his language. Besides, there was no helping it. Now everyone remembered the elephant in the room. These peaceful days were nothing but calm before the storm.

Kotomi and her friends had been born in the midst of a global war spanning over 150 years. At one point, one large nuclear disaster essentially tore civilization apart, and forced people to adapt to the world being almost 90% wasteland. According to her history teachers, the area they lived in had once been part of a country that called itself ‘the Land of the Rising Sun’ before foreign invaders and corruption destroyed its infrastructure. The more colloquial name was simply ‘the Old Citadel.’ Because the Old Citadel had been quite technologically advanced and prone to all kinds of disasters, the metropolitan areas more or less survived.

What was left of the government managed to establish a cutthroat border around the perimeter of the most salvageable parts of the city, protected by the finest soldiers, hand-picked and trained for that very purpose. For the last century, the government has continuously churned out the perfect soldiers, sending them out to fight the threat directly in enemy territory, or having them guard the border here. But in more recent years, the people who were left out of the border, called Wastelanders, have started to rebuild as well. It was only 4 years ago that the government, an oligarchy in collaboration with the Citadel Defense Army leaders, announced that strong, able-bodied young men would enlist at age 16, rather than 18 like before.

It was a cruel and unforgiving labor, with harsh conditions, murderous training, and little gratitude from the people; but the government rewarded them and their loved ones generously with plenty of food, electricity, and housing. All of them were orphans protected by the state and the Akashi family, who ran the Army and worked directly with the Diet. [ 4 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx#footnote4) Technically, since Akashi Masaomi, the current patriarch of the family, already served the Army, there was no need for any of them to go. But it was already agreed once they had all arrived that it was for the sake of the Akashi family reputation would suffer if they didn’t enlist. More than that, they had all made a promise to see to the end of the war however they could, even if Kotomi and Satsuki themselves couldn’t go, since Akashi Masaomi saw it as a disgrace to send women to the battlefields.

“The training is for three years…so we’ll be back when we’re 16…” Midorima stated more to himself than anyone else, but the fact seemed to deflate their already dampened mood even further. Kotomi stared down at her poem book, particularly at the small paper crane book mark Midorima had folded for his Lucky Item once. Cable was rare. The government rationed it to a few hours a day, but Midorima never missed Oha-Asa, the fortune-telling program that old women and conspirators watched. While he was of neither sort, he was definitely unique in that sense. Most Lucky Items typically sat in his room once the day was over, mostly waiting to be recycled again one day. But she admired its perfection so much that Midorima gave it to her when they were 11 and she’s had it ever since. It had become routine for them to hear his programs every morning. 

_ Reminiscing doesn’t help at all...the thought of all of them being gone for so long... _ Kotomi bit her lip as she tried to keep herself composed. A hand over hers distracted her, and Kotomi found herself looking at Kuroko, who stared at her with a furrowed brow and pursed lips. When she noticed how silent it was, Kotomi noticed that the other three young men were staring at her too. If she glanced behind her, she would have seen Midorima glancing from behind the tree, as well. 

_ Right, they’re all as worried as I am, maybe even more... _ Kotomi shook her head and patted her cheeks, forcing a smile onto her face. 

“It’ll be hard without you guys here,” She confessed. “I want to go to training with you guys, too…” Kise flailed a little and sat up so quickly he almost smashed his golden head into her nose if she hadn’t moved away in time, though her jerk to avoid him knocked a pensive Aomine out of his position. 

“Oi!” The young man groaned and rolled over in the grass and gritted his teeth.

“Kotomicchi, don’t even joke!” Kise despaired at the thought of Kotomi. He knew the others felt the same panic. Who wouldn’t, looking at someone like Kotomi? A young slender girl of 13, bearing heavy tactical gear, carrying a gun, crawling through the mud and dirt, her hair getting caught in its barbs, her slender arms becoming bruised, her gentle spirit crushed. No one in their right mind would let something like that happen. 

“Kotomi, women can’t join the Army.” Midorima reminded her. Kotomi sighed, still not contented with that being an excuse. 

“They changed the age of drafting, why can’t we change that rule, too? Besides, women can be battlefield healers. I don’t understand the distinction of why I can’t train along with you.” Kotomi huffed and crossed her arms. 

“The healers are explicitly non-combat roles.” Kuroko said. He was the most concerned by Kotomi’s interest. “There’s no way that Masaomi-san would let you go into a battlefield without any combat expereince.” Kotomi whipped her head over to look at Kuroko with an indignant glare.

“So, it’s okay for other women to go, but because  _ I’m  _ a ward of the Akashi family, I’m not allowed? Isn’t that awful, to put someone above others just becuase they’re affiliated with someone important? If that’s the case, why are you guys going?” Kuroko paused, unable to find the answer himself. It didn’t sound right, either. But he didn’t want to agree and support the idea. 

Every young man was meant to serve. In the case of Kise, Kuroko, Murasakibara, Midorima, Aomine, and Akashi Masaomi’s own son, Akashi Seijurou, their physical exams suggested they would excel without them trying very hard. So even if it was difficult, their chances of surviving the training and even the war were higher than most. But for Kotomi, who was deemed fragile physically, mentally, and emotional fragile by a team of doctors, even if women  _ were  _ allowed on the front lines, it just seemed like she deserved to live a life of comfort. But saying that would only escalate the conversation. 

“I know it’ll be difficult without us,” Kuroko fell back on reassuring her, since he figured that it wasn’t that she was itching to fight, but rather that she was lonely. He moved closer to her and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, so that he could peer into those cornflower blue eyes more clearly. “But we’ll be back before you know it, and things will be the same.” Kise sat up and placed a hand on her head, smiling handsomely at her.

“That’s right. You’re such a good girl, Kotomi-cchi, so you’ve gotta behave while we’re gone, okay?” 

“The only difference is that we’ll be a lot stronger!” Aomine nodded triumphantly, flexing his muscles. “Strong enough to protect you from anything in the world!” 

“It’ll be a pain, so prepare lots of snacks for us when we come back, okay, Koto-chin?” 

“So long as we do all that we can do, we will surely return to you in those three years. But for now…” Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose once again. “Keep coming to this tree and read like you always do. And think of us.” Kotomi let out a long exhale and nodded slowly. 

”...Uuu...” Kotomi sniffled and felt her eyes sting as they filled with tears. That’s right, she couldn’t be so down. They were the ones going to war, eventually. She had to be strong for them. It was hard for them too. They’ve been through everything together, after all. They would miss her just as much as she would miss them. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t do all she could from where she was as well. 

“Ah! Midorimacchi made Kotomicchi cry!” Kise gasped loudly.

“Wha-!? I did not! Kise!” Kise wrapped his arms around Kotomi and pressed his nose into the top of her head while nuzzling her happily. He tangled one hand in her hair and the other pulled her close by the waist. Kotomi hid her face in his shoulder and sniffled, fighting the urge to wail and cry.

“Ahh, Kotomicchi is such a good girl…” 

“Kise. Get your hands off her.” 

“Kise-kun, please stop.” 

“What? I’m just comforting her!” 

“Kise-chin, I’ll crush you with everything I have.” 

“That’s horrible!” Kotomi smiled serenely, her heart sad but full. She wished that Momoi and Akashi were here to enjoy it, too. Kotomi finally pulled away when she was fully composed, rubbing her eye. 

“Sei-kun is probably waiting for us to come back so let’s go, yes?” The rest of them paused their plan to publicly execute the poor blonde sunshine, and at Kotomi’s words they seemed forget, as if something in the air around her soothed any ills they held towards each other, for just a moment. But Kotomi knew there wasn’t really much to worry about. This was just how they were. In reality, no matter how much they bickered, each of them had an unbreakable bond forged by their lives together in the Akashi house. They were practically family.

As they all stood and started heading towards that distant city, Kotomi glanced back past the tree, her eyes following the expanse lines of grass in the direction opposite to her friends, watching with an unreadable expression as the grass began to thin and pale in color, shifting to an ugly brown of decay and desiccation as it disappeared into the horizon.

“Kotomi-chan, are you alright?” Kotomi blinked away some ebbing and flowing thought on the shores of her memories and turned to Kuroko, whose apathetic disposition read just an edge of concern for her behavior. Kotomi smiled and ran towards him and the retreating backs of her other friends. She could already see Kise’s far away silhouette waving to the both of them, though he seemed to flinch as Aomine appeared to chuck something at him. Kotomi blinked and giggled, covering her mouth. 

“They’re running off without us, even though they were so clingy just before.” Kuroko offered his hand to her with the ghost of a smile, and Kotomi found her cheeks warming just a little. He was quite handsome himself, despite his lack of presence. 

“I prefer that, so that I can be clingy as well.” Kotomi took his hand, returning the reassuring squeeze he gave her as they began to head back, Kotomi’s poem book tucked tightly under her arm. 

* * *

“Tetsu-kun!” Kotomi promptly released Kuroko’s hand as he was tackled to the ground by a beautiful pink haired girl. She said a silent prayer and moved to stand beside Murasakibara. 

_ Rest in peace, Tetsuya... _

“The deadliness of Momoi Satsuki’s hugs are directly proportionate to the amount of time she’s spent away from Kuroko.” Midorima murmured with a glint in his glasses. 

“Satsuki, you don’t hafta do that every time…” Aomine shouted. Kotomi sighed as she watched Kuroko flail and beg for air as he tried to fight off the grip of their childhood friend. “Oi, Tetsu, how are you gonna fight if you can’t even fight off Satsuki?” 

“The power of love is truly something .” Kotomi giggled while the purple haired boy played with her hair, running his long hands through her hair with a vacant disinterest for what occurred in front of them. Akashi Seijurou, a beautiful young man with crimson hair and blood red eyes of a similar shade, chuckled as he came to stand beside Kotomi. 

“Momoi was working quite hard, Aomine, let her have this.” 

“This is why she’s such a brat.” Aomine complained, sticking a finger in his ear. His eye caught a cheeky Kotomi, who raised an eyebrow at him, to his annoyance. “What?” 

“You say that, Daiki, but you spoil her the most.” Aomine turned red as he vehemently denied her claim. “T-That’s because she gets on my nerves if I don’t!” Kotomi rocked on her heels and shrugged away his denial. She knew he couldn’t deny that the girl was special to him. They had arrived at the Akashi estate together, after all. Momoi was also an orphan rescued by the Akashi family. As far as Kotomi knew, her parents had been researchers for the Old Citadel, and had left Momoi with Aomine’s family when they lived out in the Wastelands. 

After they were killed in a Wastelander attack, Momoi and Aomine were sent away together when the latter’s parents went searching for the bodies of their friends. Needless to say, they never returned. 

“A-Anyway, she’s not  _ special,  _ I would...” Kotomi tilted her head when Aomine trailed off, his face turned a deeper red and he shoved his hands into his pockets as he looked away. 

“What?”

“I would spoil you too...if you asked...” Kotomi blushed and held her cheeks, reaching out to place a hand on the taller’s boy with a tiny curve of her lips. 

“What a good kid!” Aomine bristled and tried to shove her hands off, but at the same time, his tensed expression softened. But the moment was short-lived. Kise promptly threw himself on the short girl, while Murasakibara tugged insistently on her long locks.

“Koto-chin, pay attention to me, now.” 

“Kotomi-cchi, pet my head too!” But a hand reached out to wrap around Kotomi’s wrist. The redheaded Akashi pulled the raven-haired girl to his side, keeping his hand wrapped around hers with a serene smile. 

“Oh, Sei-kun?” Kotomi asked, wondering why he intercepted, but was silently grateful. 

“You’re bothering her, you three.” Kise, Murasakibara, and Aomine all pouted and shrunk away, becoming silent. Akashi had always been like this, as long as Kotomi had known him. Akashi and his family were the sole reason they were alive today, so everyone saw him as the unofficial leader of their friend group,

His family’s legacy dated back to the Old Citadel. Akashi Seijirou’s mother and father, Shiori and Masaomi, funded a rescue effort in the chaos of war to extract children from Japan’s ruins. That was how they had found Kise, Kuroko, and Kotomi, the last three to join the group.

Kotomi could vaguely remember rats and dripping water before a recovery team found her and brought her to her new home in the Akashi estate, in the heart of the city. It was in these very halls where she met Kuroko and the others. She was 8 years old at the time. Where her parents were or how long she’d been surviving on her own, she didn’t know. The doctors said it wasn’t uncommon for traumatized children to repress their memories, so Kotomi didn’t think on it that much. It was probably for the best that she didn’t look into it if she had forgotten it in the first place. 

“Koto-chan!” Momoi seemed satisfied with her furious hugging of Kuroko, and so her target changed to the only other girl in the group. Kotomi opened her arms instinctively.

“Satsuki-chan!” Kotomi caught the cute pink haired girl in her arms, more prepared for the tackle than poor Kuroko, who was lying on his back, unconscious on the floor. “We missed you!” 

“Barely.” Aomine picked his nose while he looks away.

“That’s okay. I was getting everyone’s data ready! I helped the researchers a lot! It’s the least I can do for you guys. This way, you won’t have to do the extra examinations and you can get right to training! Then you can come back, faster…” Momoi’s voice lacked its usually bouncy energy, and Kotomi realized her friend had been dreading this day as well, but she had been productive with her sadness. Kotomi seems a little put off by this. And here she had just been sitting around…

“Kotomi,” Akashi’s gentle voice snapped her out of her disappointment. Cornflower met crimson as she looked up at Akashi, who squeezed her hand affectionately. “I can see how refreshed everyone looks, thanks to you.” 

“Akashi-kun talks like they’re wild animals.” Momoi giggles, holding a hand to her cheek.

“Hey! What the hell?” Aomine protested.

“Don’t lump me in with them.” Midorima grated.

“Momoicchi!” 

“Sa-chin, that’s mean…” 

“Oh, not you though, Tetsu-kun!” A quiet groan. He was still recovering. Kotomi sighed, but kept her smile for them.

“You don’t have to comfort me, Akashi-kun, but thank you…I can’t analyze data like Satsuki-chan can, but I know what I want to do to help you guys.” 

“Oh? What’s that?” Akashi tensed, already aware of Kotomi’s proclivity for being a tad headstrong at times. He knew it wasn’t something plausible, with the way Kuroko and the others tensed.

“I’ll be a medic!” Kotomi’s eyes shined, and the 7 of them breathed a sigh of relief. “That way when you guys come back, I can be the first to see you!” 

“I think you’d be very good at it, Kotomi-chan.” Kuroko rasped as he clambered to his feet again, rubbing his back.

“Have fun patching up these guys, I won’t ever have a scratch on me!” Aomine puffed his chest out.

“But Kotomicchi will be touching other guys if she’s a medic, won’t she? I’ll be super jealous!” Kise shook his fists with frustration.

“You’re so childish, Kise. She needs to heal everyone as a medic, she can’t have any preference for her patients.” Midorima huffed.

“Well…” Kotomi pokes her fingers together and smiles sheepishly, tilting her head to the side as she giggles a little. “I…I’m also a little jealous that someone might get to welcome you home before I do, so…that’s also why.” 

There was single heartbeat of a pause before Kise pounced. Aomine preemptively grabbed Kotomi and pulled her out of the way before he could latch onto her. He was like a damn golden retriever, that Kise. As if he was going to let him cuddle up to her after she went and said something so goddamn adorable. No way.

“Kotomicchi, marry me right now!” 

“She’d never marry a loser like you, Kise.” 

“Please don’t say such a cruel thing to Kise, Daiki…” 

“See? She wants to marry me!” 

“I never said that…” 

“Then marry me.” 

“Aominecchi, you sneaky-!” Kotomi ducked out of the way before she can get caught up in that brawl, standing beside Akashi once more. He smiled fondly as he glanced at her. 

“You’ll make a fine medic, Kotomi-chan. I’ll be sure to talk to Father about enrolling you in the classes before we leave.” Kotomi took his hand in hers by habit, humming softly. He was always so efficient. It worried her.

“We’ll work hard on our end, but try not to overdo it. I know you act all mighty, but you’re really bad about pushing yourself.” His response was a soft chuckle. 

“Of course not, but the faster we finish training, the sooner we come back home.”

“That doesn’t reassure me at all, you dummy” Akashi responded by lacing their fingers together with a small laugh that made Kotomi’s heart skip a beat. She pouted and puffed her cheeks, wondering why her chest felt so strange. But she didn’t have much time to think on it, as Momoi threw her arms around Kotomi and Akashi, nuzzling the redhead like a puppy would its mother.

“No matter how much time passes, we’ll be together forever, won’t we?” She asked softly, her smile was practically angelic. Kotomi nodded firmly as she fondly watches as Murasakibara tried to bribe the blonde and bluenette from fighting with his snacks, albeit using only a single biscuit, but that was considered an arm and a leg in Murasakibara’s book. Midorima was trying to grab one of them, though a rogue fist knocked the glasses clean off his face. Kuroko was just watching Aomine as he shoved his foot in Kise’s face. Kotomi laughed brightly, cheeks turning pink and nose crinkling. 

“Yes! Forever!” 

* * *

Their last few days together were spent in normalcy, trying to make it seem like this would just be a weekend apart. Kotomi was lying awake in her bed the night before they’d be leaving, staring at the ceiling; sleep was far away from her mind. If she had a choice, she would gladly join the military, as well. But Akashi would never allow it. She loved that she was so loved, but Kotomi wished they weren’t so protective all the time. She felt like she would be able to do more as an on-field medic than one who waited for the bodies to come rolling in. 

_ I want to do more. I have to do more. I can’t just sit here while they go and risk everything…but what could I possibly do for them that didn’t make them worry?  _ Kotomi sat up from her bed and hurried over to her desk to search. What could she do for them? What did they need? 

_ “You soothe them.” _ Akashi’s voice in her head made her pause. A bout of frustration bubbled up in her chest as she flopped down into her desk chair with a heavy sigh. It had comforted her in the moment, but she knew that it was only trying to make her feel less inferior in comparison to the brilliant Momoi. Understanding data and applying it to real life was like breathing to the other girl. She was going to be indispensible to the Citadel when she was older, which was why Akashi Masaomi was giving her so many opportunities to sharpen her skills. But what about her? She wasn’t really good at anything that would be particularly useful. 

No, now wasn’t the time to be pitying herself. She had to focus on the task at hand. She opened up the drawers of her desk. In the last one found an array of fabric scraps, string, her sewing kit and paper.

Inspiration struck.

“Seven hours until sunrise, eight until they leave. That gives me some time…” She murmured, she worked on cutting apart the fabric, setting one out for the color corresponding to each of her technicolored friends.  If this was all she could do for now, then it would have to do until she was stronger.

* * *

Kuroko was awake before all the others, too anxious about what was coming. It was no secret that he was the least physically capable of his friends. As soon as he was able to understand what the Citadel Army was, he took the Aptitude test given in their first year of middle school with his friends. But in terms of physical capability...he wasn’t encouraged by his performance, especially in comparison to the others. 

So Kuroko Tetsuya was conflicted when his results came back, and discovered that he had an aptitude for stealth, when the others had been assigned tactical combat training. He thought that Akashi would pull some strings and insist that Kuroko stay home with Kotomi and Satsuki, but...

“Just as expected, it’s a relief to know you’ll be there.” Akashi said with his never-wavering confidence. And in that moment, Kuroko felt the painful duality of what that meant for him. 

Kuroko paused while was changing into the tight, high collar spandex top that all trainees were supposed to wear. He had wanted to make a difference, and of course he was going to work hard. But he worried endlessly for Kotomi. He hated leaving her alone. 

He still remembered the day she arrived at Akashi’s house, just days after he had. She was an unkempt, ratty little thing with no muscle or fat on her bones and hollowed out cheeks. Kuroko was not much more than her, but he had had his elderly grandparents and his mother to care for him. He went to bed hungry a lot, but he was warm, and loved.

That’s why he was so broken when raiders from the Wastelands slaughtered his family. His lack of presence helped him hide in the laundry basket his mother placed him in, just after kissing his head and hugging him one last time. He remembered the agony in his tiny heart the first month at the Akashi house. He went to bed sobbing every night and woke up sniffling every morning. He couldn’t feel happy for so long; he felt lost. 

But Kotomi had been alone a long time, according to Akashi. She spoke to no one, but she didn’t cry or scream. She had been lost for such a long time. Kuroko was scared of her at first. He had never seen someone who had completely shut down like that before. 

The first time Kotomi had ever looked at anyone was Kuroko. It was a seemingly normal day, when Kuroko had finally recovered enough to start playing with the other children. But he got tired easily, and the maids would ask him to sit with Kotomi to keep her company when he was resting, since everyone else had been too scared of her silence to do so. Despite his reluctance at first, Kuroko did as they asked, since he liked the maids.

For hours upon hours while the others played, he just watched her or occupied himself with something quiet. Even though Aomine used to call her a ‘creepy doll’, Kuroko always came to her defense. Secretly, he wished that one day she would thank him suddenly. He just wanted her to speak, because her silence was scary. Perhaps it was for that reason, he was able to sit with her for so long. After a while, he began to stop expecting anything and j ust sat with her because it was easier to read peacefully without ebing interrupted by a wrestling match or a barrage of flying toys. 

And finally, on a day no different than other, a breakthrough. Kotomi turned her head to face him, when she heard him approaching. Her eyes widened, and she spoke for the first time. Her voice was raspy and small from disuse, but her words surprised Kuroko enough to make him jump.

“When…did you get here?”  Everyone said that, any time that he approached them, be it the maids, his friends, or even Akashi’s parents. So to hear it from this girl he thought would never look his way, it felt a little strange. Suddenly, the creepy doll looked like everyone else in that house. 

“I’ve been here.” He answered. She blinked once, clueless, and then she nodded. And like that, they didn’t speak another word to each other for the rest of the day, but Kotomi scooted closer to him. Perhaps it was just because she liked the warmth of another person, but Kuroko was glad she was alright with him, and even more amazed that even when everyone noticed him last, he was the first she acknowledged. 

The maids used to joke about how Akashi Shiori, Seijurou’s mother, cried when she saw Kotomi trailing behind Kuroko for the first month. She tugged on his shirt and tottered behind him like a baby duckling. But as she became more lively, it was soon Kuroko who followed Kotomi around when she was up and playing with the others. The maids teased him, to this day, about how Kuroko cried if she didn’t pay enough attention to him. He even used to quarrel with Kise for her attention when they were just kids, through his roundabout way of scaring the small blonde or tripping him often. Kuroko was only 9 years old when he realized that he couldn’t imagine a life without her. 

And since then, they were never apart for more than a day, so how was he supposed to go three years without her, now?  His thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

_ Knock knock.  _

Were they supposed to gather already? Kuroko walked over to the door and was surprised to see the dark-haired teen, still in her pajamas, at his door. She had her hands tucked behind her back. 

“Kotomi-chan, is something wrong…?” 

“No, I…I wanted to give you something before you guys left. I couldn’t wait, so…” She held out her hand, which contained a small envelop of powder blue fabric, stuffed full of old something soft, sewn together to create something reminiscent of a charm. The string was looped, so that it could hang off something, and had the character for “Protection” clumsily sewn on it in dark blue thread. Kuroko opened his palm and let her drop it into his hand. Kotomi fidgeted a little, poking her bandaged fingers together. A smile welled up and threatened to spill onto Kuroko’s face, though to her it looked the twitch of his lips. 

“I got scared I was going to run out of time, so I rushed it. I’m sorry… ”

“Thank you, Kotomi-chan. It’s very cute.” She openly sighed in relief. 

“I just…I know I can’t be there with you, so I want you to think of me when you hold that. ”  Kuroko squeezed the charm tightly in his hand, his eyes softening as he pursed his lips.

“I’m always thinking of you, Kotomi.” 

“Really? That makes me-wah!” She’s surprised when he suddenly dropped the honorifics on her name, and even more so when he wrapped his arms around her back, being the same height as her. Kuroko pressed his face into the crook of her neck, the floral scent of rose filling his senses and calming the storm in his chest. Kuroko sighed, squeezing both her and his new charm tight.

Kotomi’s eyes stung, and she placed her hands on his back just above his shoulder blades, squeezing him tight for a moment before she pulled away. She couldn’t handle anymore, she might not be able to leave his side, at this point. Kuroko smiled gently at her, and Kotomi felt her cheeks warm again. 

“See you soon.” Her eyes brightened at this, and she nodded, her smile growing and the bridge of her nose crinkling slightly. 

“See you soon, Tetsuya.” 

* * *

Aomine threw his sweat-soaked shirt onto the bed as chugged the bottle of water in his room, staring out the window at the night sky. At this point, midnight black had already shifted to a cerulean blue. Unable to sleep, he ended up going out for a run around the estate. Soon, the sun would come over the horizon, and so would the van that would take them away from the home he’s known for 8 years of his life. Of course, he was thrilled for a new adventure, a chance to become stronger, and a way to stop depending on Akashi and his family, but…there were things here that were too precious to leave. The knock at his door got his attention. It made him scoff. Momoi had already stood at his door and cried, so it wasn’t her. If this was Kise saying he had a nightmare, the blonde kid was getting a water bottle shoved down his throat. 

“Kise, I’m not going to- “  But he didn’t get to finish his sentence.

“Uwah!” Aomine jumped at the high-pitched squeak that met his ears. Not to mention, she looked really cute as she turned bright red from embarrassment. “D-Don’t surprise me like that!” 

“I didn’t, you’re the one in front of my room.” Aomine leaned against the door frame and smirks. “But sneaking into a boy’s room in the middle of the night? Have you finally hit your rebel phase? You come to have some ‘fun?’” Kotomi rolled her eyes a little, but she smiled lightheartedly. 

“As if you would even know what to do. You just say what the older kids say at school. Remember when you asked the teacher about-“A hand clapped over her mouth before she could say anymore. The dark red of tanned cheeks could be seen even at night. Aomine hissed at her. 

“Okay! I get it, sorry!” He slowly pulled his hand away, as if fearing that she would say more. He forgot about her spunky tendencies. He always forgot she was cheekier when it was just the two of them. He liked it. It was like a secret between just the two of them. “So? What’s up?” He was leaning against the door frame. Kotomi pulled Aomine’s navy blue charm with white thread out of her little pouch, smiling. 

“For you.” Aomine looked down at the trinket and grinned brightly, clutching it tightly in his hand. 

“Man, I already feel stronger.” Kotomi blushed and she threw her arms around him, even if he smelled kind of bad. 

“You smell like sweat, you should shower.” Aomine was inches away from returning the hug before he raised his hands in embarrassment.  ”Also, put a shirt on.”

“It’s your fault for coming here so suddenly-!” 

“No, it’s okay.” Aomine wasn’t so sure about leaving. Kotomi couldn’t pull away. She didn’t want him to see her face. Aomine was always so optimisic about the end of this war. She loved that about him. “Hug me anyway, I want to remember you just like this until you come back to me.” If only she could see the tender expression on his face as he wrapped his hands around her. Though he tried to hide it with a pout, his hand clutched the charm tightly.

“I’ll never let go.” And as he tightened the hug ever so slightly, his doubts disappeared. 

There were precious things, here.

* * *

When Kotomi discovered the trail of snacks leading out of Murasakibara’s room and down the hall, she sighed and moved towards the kitchen. He really seemed like the only one not too concerned about going. When she entered the kitchen, she could see the light of the fridge casting a shadow upon the tall, lanky figure digging away into biscuits and slices of ham. 

“Atsushi,” the purple-haired boy popped out of from the fridge like a rabbit from its hidey-hole, eyes adorable wide, as he was caught quite literally with his hand in the cookie jar.  ”The maids will get angry.” He seemed undeterred by this news, licking his lips as he closed the fridge. He balanced his haul precariously with one long, slender arm. 

“Oh, Koto-chin, did you get hungry, too? Let’s have snacks together.” 

“Your snacks are like meals, for me.” She responded. Kotomi walked over to the fridge, and Murasakibara preemptively picked her up by the waist and placed her on the island kitchen, so that she could speak to him at relatively eye-level. They did this every time they talked, since he was old enough to lift her up since their height difference was a bit ridiculous.

“I came to give you something.” Murasakibara opened his giant hand to receive the charm, brow raised when he realized it wasn’t edible. Though, Akashi told him that he shouldn’t show that he was upset when a girl gave him a gift he didn’t want. He didn’t really care that much about other girls that weren’t Momoi or Kotomi. When he made either of them cry, it gave him a bitter taste in his mouth, and none of his snacks tasted good anymore. 

“Thanks…” Kotomi laughed. He wasn’t very good at hiding his confusion and slight distaste.  He was still a kid, despite his height.

“Just think of me when you look at it.” 

“I don’t need this. I’ll remember Koto-chin whenever I smell something sweet.” There was something odd about the way he said that, but Kotomi didn’t get much time to question him on that before Murasakibara pushed a cookie in between Kotomi’s lips, leaning in a moment later to take a bite from it.

“Sweet,” Murasakibara licked his lips and smiled in rare satisfaction. “Goodnight, Koto-chin.” As he walked away, Kotomi let the other half of the cookie fall from her mouth, cheeks burning so hot she thought they’d boil water. 

_ Okay, so maybe be wasn’t a kid. _

* * *

“Kotomicchi! A late night visit? Oh! Are you finally going to elope with me?” 

“I’m not going to marry you, Ryota..” The blonde gasped, clutching his chest and backing up slightly, as if it were the first time he was hearing this. Kotomi handed him the charm and waved to him, not able to stay long. She was going to run out of time, soon, and she still had to see Akashi and Midorima. She turned to go before she heard Kise speak, his bubbly voice suddenly lacked its usual energy. 

“We’re really leaving you…” She turned to look at him, eyes softened when she saw that his mask had cracked and chipped away, revealing the fear and anxiety he hid behind his smile. Kotomi turned to face him properly, knowing that this was not his usual dramatics. 

“You’re taking a trip. I’ll still be here when you come back. I think of it like that.” 

“And you won’t be married?” 

“I don’t plan on being married at 16, Ryota.” 

“Not to anyone else but me.” 

“To  _ anyone.”  _ She smiled despite the firmness of her voice, and slowly grasped his hand with both of hers, bringing the knuckle of his middle finger to her lips. Kise malfunctioned a moment, eyes wide and starting to become a little blurry as his face turned red. His fangirls would surely pass out if they were to see this. 

“But I’ll be waiting right here for you. Then you can try to win my heart.” Kise’s eyes brightened impossibly, and he threw his arms around her tightly, holding the small of her back and the back of her head so she couldn’t push him away. If this was going to be the last time he was going to see her for the next three years, he wanted to feel her close to him just one more time. 

For once, Kotomi allowed it without any resistance, wrapping her arms tightly around him and sighing softly. 

“I’ll win your heart for sure. I like you more than anyone in the world, after all, Kotomicchi.”  He pulled away and pressed his lips to her forehead, grinning brightly despite the looming deadline.

* * *

“I don’t need a charm, I have my Lucky Item.” Despite his words, Midorima seemed pleased about the little trinket she offered him, holding it carefully between half-taped fingers.

“I know, I know, but just keep it on you for my sake, please?” She asked quietly. Midorima made a sound of affirmation, staring at his farewell present while Kotomi pulled out her other present for him. She held it out to him. “And here. An extra from me.” Midorima raised a brow as he recognized the item in her hands. 

“This is...the book you were reading today.” 

“Mhm, you told me to think of you when I missed you guys, right? So, with that you can remember a good place and a good time when you’re feeling homesick.” Midorima remembered his advice to her from last week, the memory caused the tips of his ears to turn red.

“I’ll be sure to return it to you.” As he pulled his hand away, Kotomi took the unfinished taped hand in hers and looked up at him, smiling gently. 

“Let me do it?” A small sound choked his throat but Midorima nodded stiffly, sitting down wordlessly; he calmly set his present on his nightstand, right beside his glasses and handed her a roll of tape. Kotomi sat across from him on the bed, starting to delicately wrap his fingers. She wasn’t quite sure when this habit started, but she remembered how much he struggled as a kid, his hands always dropped the roll of tape and let it roll away from him, only to be trampled by a running Kise and Aomine. Before he could start crying, Kotomi was at his side, with Kuroko holding onto the back of her shirt as she sat across from him, just like now. 

“I know you know how to do this, but I’m glad you let me, still.” 

“Just for tonight.” Kotomi paused as she was wrapping his ring finger down to the knuckle, smiling. 

“Yes, just for tonight.” There was a long pause, with only the sound of tape crinkling every now and then. This was mostly because Midorima was so tense it felt like his jaw was locked in place. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. “Shintaro?” 

“Y-Yes…?” 

“I’ll miss you.” Her sincerity melted his tension, and he felt his heart lurch. 

“…As will I.” As Kotomi finished the last finger, and Midorima pulled his hands back, eyes wandering over to the charm once more. But he didn’t have time to admire it for long, and he threw his arms out when Kotomi suddenly launched herself at him. His hands caught her waist,, face turning red and fingers twitching as his hands fell limp at his sides. His first instinct was to fling her off him and run for the nearest hole to die of embarrasment in, but he knew he would regret upsetting her before she left. 

Not to mention, if this was the last time for a while he would be able to see her and touch her so casually, then he couldn’t push her away for either of their sakes. So while he didn’t hug her back, he looked away and sighed, closing his eyes. It smelled of rose. He felt her small, petite shoulders shaking. And he realized he must do absolutely everything he could to return home safely to her, now and every time afterwards. He remembered Oha-Asa’s fortune for the day. 

_ “Keep your precious one close. Dark storms lie ahead! Don’t be afraid to stand in the rain but shield others from the lightning! The rainbow afterward will be worth the tempest!” _

* * *

As the sun rose in the sky, Kotomi realized that it would soon be time for them to leave, and for the first time in years, they would be separated. As she walked to Akashi’s room, her steps slowed, her shoulders began to droop, and her vision blurred and stung. She had been holding it back for so long, she just had to endure Akashi’s farewell, so…why was she breaking down now? 

“Kotomi?” Kotomi looked up from the carpet, spotting Akashi.

“Oh, I…I have something for you! I’m glad you’re already out. You always seem to know, don’t you? Anyway, I wanted to give this to you!” She pushed the crimson charm with gold accents into his hand, holding his fist closed and hiding her face behind her bags, her voice was already shaking. He had his bags and his training uniform on. It suddenly felt real. She bit her lip, throwing herself into his arms right after. He caught her without dropping a single bag, perfect as per usual. He couldn’t help a small chuckle. 

“We haven’t even left yet, and you’re crying already?” He took note of her trembling shoulders, his smile turning more tender by the second. 

“How am I going to go on without you guys? I can’t, my heart hurts, and I can’t breathe when I think about you guys being gone.” Akashi set his bags down so that he could properly cup her cheeks, tilting her head up to look at him, and smiling handsomely at her as he drew small circles into her soft cheeks with his thumbs.

“We all feel the same about leaving you. But I know you’re strong, and you’ll be alright. At least until we come back.” 

“How do you know?” Akashi brushed a hand through her hair, pressing her forehead into his shoulder, looking ahead of him. 

“Because you made it to us by yourself. You have the capability, and you’re strong, but you didn’t have to be alone. For now, you’ll have to be strong on own again.” 

“But I don’t- “ 

“We’re all doing things we don’t want to do, Kotomi.”  Ah, and even though Kotomi wanted to be a baby around Akashi, he never let her do so for too long. 

“… You’re right, I’m being selfish, I’m sorry…” 

“We do spoil you, so it’s to be expected.” 

“Sei!” He laughed as Kotomi’s head popped up to pout and whine at him, and he took the opportunity to press his lips to her cheek, seeming to enjoy the way her cheeks turn pink and she pouted more, puffing her cheeks out. 

_ If only you knew how much that makes me want to spoil you… _ He thought fondly.

__ “Thank you for loving us so deeply, Kotomi.” She smiled at this, a deep sigh settling her nerves. The morning sun finally arrived with the calm, and all was well as they watched the sun rise on their farewell.

* * *

“There there, Satsuki…” Kotomi hugged her pink haired best friend tightly as the girl cried into her shoulder. They watched from the front door of the Akashi estate as their friends climbed into a black van, placing their bags in one by one before they entered through those big car doors. Kise, Akashi, and Kuroko waved until they’re just about to climb in, but Midorima, Aomine, and Murasakibara didn’t look back, climbing in without another glance. 

“Be safe!” Kotomi called out to them. “Eat plenty, and train hard! Don’t bother anyone by being brats!” She called out to them. She still felt so helpless, unable to do anything more for them, for the cause they were risking their lives for. 

Kotomi didn’t hold the lack of response against them, but it didn’t help her feel less like a freeloader. All she could do was watch as the engine sputtered to life. She ran her fingers through Momoi’s soft peach colored locks, patting her back in rhythm with her sobs. She felt like crying too, but her time with Akashi had calmed her heart. She offered them a gentle smile right up until the doors closed and the van finally disappeared through the gates of the property. Her tears welled up again, but this time they didn’t fall.

“Satsuki, let’s go out and have some tea, okay?”  As she ushered Momoi inside, a butler was there to meet her, holding a manila folder out to Kotomi. 

“Sorry to interrupt, Miss, but here is the paperwork for the on-site medic position. Master Akashi requested that you bring it to the medical clinic yourself today.” Today? His son just left. But, that was just like him. Business. That’s why his son was such a workaholic, too.

“Thank you.” But she didn’t really want to think about anything other than tea time. As she took Momoi back inside, Kotomi tucked the papers under her arm, heading back to the much emptier house.

* * *

The van was silent as it drove down the near empty streets of the town. Despite its pristine conditions, it was rather empty. Not many people lived here, anymore, what with the elderly dying and the young being shipped off to die in battle, there wasn’t much opportunity to procreate and fill the streets. In terms of manpower, they were solid. For how long it would remain that way, there was no telling. But it was a problem for another day. And it was the farthest thing from the minds of the teen boys who were being shipped off to become soldiers. Not long into the 8-hour drive to the training grounds, small sniffles still filled the stagnant air. 

“Oi, Murasakibara, quit crying. It’s annoying.” 

“Mine-chin, you’re the one crying.” 

“Am not. It’s Kise.” 

“I…I miss Momocchi and Kotomicchi.” Kuroko and Midorima were silent, but Akashi could feel how terrible they felt. Of course, they were acting strong in front of the girls. They couldn’t let them worry anymore than they had to, but now the weight of their duty bore down on their young shoulders like a bag of cement.

“Our girls are strong. They’ll be alright. The best we can do is make this place safer for them to grow up in. We’re doing a great thing. They know that, too.” 

“Akashicchi…” The red-headed young man smiled as he patted Murasakibara’s back comfortingly, trying to ignore the tiny ball of unease resting in his stomach. He had a better idea of what was coming than the others. 

“We’re strong, too. That’s why we just have to endure. This is our chance to make a change in the world. And protect the things that are precious to us.” At this, some of the tears dried, as they were able to picture a smiling pair of girls waiting at home for them. While the mood did not lighten, they didn’t break down, thanks to Akashi’s steadfast certainty and the memories of home. 

* * *

Kotomi helped Momoi fall asleep after she had some tea and was done crying. And then Kotomi had a driver take her to the hospital, which was fielding the applications for medical occupations. The butler had said the paperwork was complete and she didn’t have to do anything else but sign it. But as Kotomi set the papers out in front of her, heart and head heavy with her worries renewed and no Akashi to soothe them. 

_ Is this really all I can do...?  _ She asked herself bitterly, lowering her pen to sign her adolescence away to years of watching war victims die, unable to do much else. But inspiration struck her yet again, just as she was about to sign. She swallowed hard as her pen hovered over one of the sections of the paper. There was no way they’d find out unless she told them, or until it was too late. So it was now or never. 

**_ Name:  _ Fujisaki Kotomi **

**_ Age:  _ 13 **

**_Occupation of Choice:_ Medic. **

**_ (If Applicable) On Site or Off Site: _ **

**_~~ Off-site ~~ _ **

** ON SITE/BATTLEFIELD **

* * *

[ 1 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx#footnote1back) Japan 

[ 2 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx#footnote2back) China 

[ 3 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx#footnote3back) Kise and Kotomi are thinking this about the other haha 

[ 4 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx#footnote4back) In Japan, the Diet is the legislative party, but in this context I am referring to the oligarchy which runs the infrastructure and resources 


	2. Fateful Meetings and Rocky Greetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coping with the departure of Kuroko and the others as well as her sudden decision to be an off-field medic, Kotomi makes an interesting discovery under her favorite plum tree. It serves as a good distraction, for better or worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases. 
> 
> A/N: I have up to chapter 5 ready to post. I currently have 12 chapters that I'm revising, and then the story will continue! Thanks for reading, and I hope you guys enjoy!

** __ Chapter 2: Fateful Meetings and Rocky Greetings **

* * *

** Citadel Training Grounds **

As the black van pulled into the training grounds near the border of the territory, the grass was now faded from green to a dry, pale, bone-colored off-white. There were no more trees, with the exception of a forest in the heart of the compound. There was only barbed wire and antennae. It was such a far cry for them, who had been coming up on a decade on living wealthily. Kise shuddered at the sight, holding himself. 

“Talk about dreary…” 

“It’s to be expected of a military base…we are likely the closest to the Wasteland than annyone else.” Midorima was just as displeased. They were escorted to the line up of other males from other areas of the city, all standing straight and silent, though their eyes read anxiety, fear, and apprehension. As the 6 young men came to join the last line, out stepped an elderly man from the main building, followed by a young man with dark hair and sharp steely eye, both in color and mettle. Both stood in a sturdy, broad shouldered stance which spoke of a long and successful career. 

The elderly man was nothing like the elderly they had seen before, not even Akashi’s father. Depsite his wrinkled skin, his wispy white hair and his neatly trimmed beard, the man was muscled even through his uniform, but not that it hindered his mobility. He was glowing even brighter with vigor than some of the trainees, and his commanding disposition left them attentive with reverence. 

“Welcome,” he greeted with a booming voice, leaving a pregnant pause in the air as he surveyed the crowd before him. “I am General Shirogane Kozo, and this is Major Nijimura Shuzo, who will be your reporting officer while you’re training. You should all be grateful to him, and treat him with respect. He is an extraordinary soldier, and the youngest to ever become a Major. He specifically requested the position to grind you all to dust and mold you into men worthy of rising in our ranks.” The young man bowed slightly and nodded towards the trainees, arms crossed behind his back. 

“Wow,” Aomine was unable to keep the awe from showing on his face. “He’s young, he probably isn’t much older than us...” But most of the others were tensed at the General’s words. Not everyone received the same education or training, after all.

_ They get smaller and mousier every year.  _ The younger officer scowled to himself and glanced at some of the cadets, their faces paling at his pronounced frown and sharp downward turn of his brow.  _ Figures. These little punks are supposed to end this damn war? Give me a break.  _

His silvery eyes fell on five rainbow colored heads. He recognized the son of the former Lieutenant General Akashi Masaomi; and, he assumed that the rest were the charges he took in years ago. Naturally, they had heard nothing but praise for these young men, but Nijimura just saw them as a couple more brats. At least, they  _ looked  _ athletic. _ If we can put some more  muscle on those bones... _

Also catching his eye was a pair of young men standing beside one another. The redheaded young man with a fierce, fiery look in his eye seemed slightly more outstanding than his icier, cooler dark-haired counterpart, but it seemed as if both had a sufficient amount of potential as well, as well as a few others. Nijimura stepped forward. When he spoke, his voice boomed with confidence as well, beyond his apparent age. 

“First we’d like to thank you for the time you’re about to spend here. It won’t be easy, but I expect you all to work hard to expand our territory and finally put an end to this chaos. That being said, we’ll be doing things a little differently this year.” This finally caused a soft murmur of confusion to wash over the crowd, as expected, but Nijimura kept talking. 

“Typically, we give you three years of practical training before sending you out into the field, but with the current war efforts and the enemy’s proximity to the border, we’ve decided that the first two years is enough.” All sound stopped as it everyone processed very quickly what that meant. 

“The third year, a squadron leader will take you on your first mission outside the border, where you will face the enemy head on.” 

** Akashi Residence **

The world whispered in the hours after Kuroko and the others left. It insisted something was wrong, something was _ off _ , murmuring in Kotomi’s ear as she tried to busy herself. After she dropped off her application, she walked aimlessly down the streets in her regret. What was she thinking? She had never directly disobeyed Akashi’s father to this extent before! How could she? She owed him everything. And it wasn’t as if she had some powerful affinity for being a medic, like Momoi did for being an analyst. No matter how she spun the tale, there was no other explanation other than insolence.

“Haaah...this is troublesome.” Kotomi whined, running her fingers through her hair. “I can already hear Daiki laughing at...me...”  Not. _Right...they’re not here, right now. I’m on my own._ Kotomi lowered her hands from her hair as she took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. “When the protagonist in my books look up at the sky, the answers to their problems come.” She said to no one in particular. When nothing came, Kotomi whined to no one in particular again. _Ryota would pat my head...no, Kotomi! Stop thinking about it!_ She slapped her cheeks harder than she meant to, now whining in pain and frustration. What could she even do? She brought this on herself. She was on her own. 

But she had already tried to retrieve the paper. Even with her status as an honorary ‘Akashi’, the hospital staff didn’t budge, and refused to return her application. So there was no helping that. Worse, she didn’t know if she could lie or hide her mistake from Momoi. Luckily, the pink haired girl was so distraught that she failed to confess to Kuroko before he left that Momoi holed up in her room and refused to come out. 

Unfortunately, this left Kotomi alone with her own thoughts. A terrible development, surely.

** Akashi Residence - Library **

Kotomi camped out in the library that night, curled up on the couch where she used to sit with Midorima and Kuroko, and fell asleep with their favorite children’s books providing her a pillow. She was awoken in the middle of the night by hushed voices outside the closed door. Kotomi sat up and rubbed her eyes, as if it would improve her hearing of the barely audible voices. 

** [“I think Kotomi-chan fell asleep in there.” A maid whispered. “She must miss them too much...” **

** “Satsuki-chan refused dinner...poor things, the little misses have always been so attached to the boys. I miss them, too...”] **

**** Kotomi bit her lip as she felt her stomach coil up into a tightly wound ball of wire. 

_ I don’t need to be reminded... _

** [“Ohh, what is Akashi-sama thinking!? Those boys didn’t have to fight! They should stay here and get married! What will he do if they all-!” **

** “Hush! You know not to talk like that. The Akashi family has always done its duty to the Citadel, and it must continue to do so. They’ll surely return.” **

** “But things aren’t getting better, they’re recruiting younger and younger, less people are coming home...”] **

****

Kotomi felt the coil in her stomach expand, and she quickly plopped back onto the couch. She closed her eyes and pulled a cushion out to cover her ears with it, so she didn’t have to hear any more. Sadly, it was too late. She felt the tears rise in her eyes and she curled in on herself. He breathing was getting louder and more frantic as she felt the panic set in. 

Her skin itched but burned. 

Her eyes stung. 

Her face felt hot. 

Her lungs begged for her to stop breathing so much air, but cried from the lack of oxygen.

Her heart was ready to pop out of her chest. 

_ Come home. _

_ Come home. _

_ Come home.  _

It hurt. She couldn’t sit still. Kotomi bolted up in her seat, and in the process she knocked the books onto the floor. Rapid footsteps and harsh whispers retreating announced the maids’ departure.

As if possessed by a force, Kotomi practically threw herself atop the writing desk and pulled out a stack of papers. She grabbed a pen and wrote out her schedule for the next three years. She wasn’t going to waste the life she was given by wallowing in her lack of skill. When Kuroko and the others returned, she was going to be someone worthy of standing beside them as an equal! 

__

_ Just you wait! _

_  _

The next day, Kotomi went into town alone. She had invited Momoi, but she was already back at work. The Statistics Bureau loved her and took her in as an intern during the weekends. Surely after they finished their mandatory schooling at 16, she would become part of the Analytics Team. In addition to cram school focusing solely medical skills and knowledge, she knew she had to continue working on her regular studies as well. 

And somehow, she had to keep Akashi’s father from finding out about her application. For once, she was relieved that he was so distant from the children he took in. 

Even luckier her training as a medic began in a year. In her third year, she would finally be working with patients fresh from an assigned warzone on the border between the Citadel and the Wastelands. Only after passing the examinations and the training program could she begin her work as an on-field medic, where she would actually be entering battlefields and extracting the injured and providing support to the doctors.

Then she would be able to help her friends, even if she knew that they would be furious about her entering the war without telling them. If they died, she would live her whole life angry with herself that she didn’t do anything to protect their future together. As Kotomi walked, she brought a hand to her chest as she felt the aches of loneliness threaten to cripple her again. 

_ I want to see you all. _

_ “ Keep coming to this tree and read like you always do. And think of us. _ ” Midorima’s words resonated in her chest and gave her strength. That was right. This was their home, after all. They were not here with her, but there was one place where they spent every day together. A place where reality couldn’t pester her. That was close enough for now, and that was more than the boys had.

__

So, she purchased the books she needed for her cram school and went for the city’s outskirts, determined to not let this absence hinder her growth. She couldn’t idly sit by while everyone was hard at work, after all. Everything was going to be fine. If she just kept her head down and did her work, everything would work out. Everything would become normal again.

Or so she thought. 

Kotomi didn’t know what to think when she arrived at the plum tree; its blossoms were still in full bloom, branches swaying in greeting. That much remained the same. But the newest addition to her regular haunt completely disillusioned her attempt at escaping a reality where Kuroko and the others were far from her side.

_ Someone else was here. In our spot.  _

Her nose wrinkled in disdain at the messy head of brown which occupied her spot. As she approached, she squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. No big tall Atsushi to scare off the undesirables. She didn’t say anything at first; Atsushi never had to say anything to make someone move out of his way. She had always wanted to try it. But the figure sitting made no move to even look her way. Instead, he spoke while gazing into the distance. 

“Looks like a little bird has appeared. Is this your usual perch?” His voice was relaxed, almost teasing. His back was to her as he leaned up against the bark of the tree. His hands rested behind his hea. A cool breeze rustled the mop of chocolate brown. “First come, first serve.” 

“Who are you? This is our spot, you can’t just come here as you please.” Kotomi was smarter than this, but her emotions were all out of align. Instead of accusatory, she sounded exasperated. She knew that no one really  _ owned  _ this place, but she still felt like it was stolen from her, and it distressed her so much that she clenched her fists in frustration. 

She just wanted to feel normal and  _ this wasn’t normal.  _

“We always come here.” She protested again. “You’re  _ not  _ allowed!” The newcomer stood up slowly and revealed himself dressed in only a sweater and a tattered pair of jeans. He seemed like a regular civilian, likely the outskirts. 

“I was here first, today.” He finally turned to look at her, opening calm, half-lidded chocolate brown eyes to scan her up and down. The snarky curve of his lips seemed to become even more so as he appraised her. Kotomi admitted to herself with a scowl that he was pretty. Not in the model kind of pretty like Kise, but a boyish kind of pretty. Maybe she could have admired his appearance if he weren’t impeding on her favorite spot with her friends on a terrible day.

“I’m here first all the time.” She countered.

“But not today, little bird.” He touched his hand to his chin as he looked her up and down and chuckled. “I don’t like relaxing alone, so how about we cuddle together under this tree? Sounds pretty romantic, huh?” There was something ingenuine about his offer, though she would have declined regardless of his tone. But she didn’t know what this tone was, and it made her anxious. She decided to answer honestly. 

“No, it sounds rather unpleasant, actually.” 

“My, that’s kind of rude, my heart is broken~” He laughed, pressing a hand to his temple as if he were distraught. But the lack of humor in his laugh only made her wary. Kotomi wasn’t going to leave, but neither was he. She couldn’t scare him away. 

“Then let’s coexist and be done with this. I am not in the mood.” With that, she walked over and plopped down, sitting on the other side of the tree. She picked up her books, opening up a notebook at the same time to take notes. The young man seemed surprised, much to Kotomi’s satisfaction. It was short-lived, however, as he walked over and sat beside her, leaning over her shoulder to look at her book.

“Whatcha doin’?” 

“Studying.” She flipped through the books so quickly that the boy’s eyes widened slightly. Was she reading it all? But he quickly recovered, leaning in closer. It had the desired effect, as Kotomi’s shoulders rose ever closer to her ears.

“Hmm…medicine, huh? You want to be a medic for the military, then?” Kotomi slammed her book closed and looked at him, cornflower blue met chocolate brown with a passive, but unyielding gaze. But it was obvious she was fighting to stay in control of herself.

“It’s rude not to introduce yourself to someone before you ask so many questions.” 

“You’re so cold, even though you’re so pretty. That’s not very cute, you know, Kotori-chan.” Kotomi bristled and she glared slightly at him. The nickname resembled her real name so quickly, and she didn’t like the idea of being so familiar with someone who wasn’t any of her boys. “But I don’t see why I have to identify myself to you when  _ you’re  _ the one who came suddenly and asked  _ me  _ to leave.”

Kotomi pursed her lips, as there was nothing she could retort to in his reasoning. She was wary of this stranger; not because of his taunts, and not because of his proximity. It was the look in his eyes. They had just met, and yet she had never seen such unveiled disdain before. She knew that kids in school envied their position, and disliked them because of it. She knew that girls disliked herself and Momoi becuase they envied thier closeness to all the boys, especially Kise and Akashi. But she had never seen  _ this  _ kind of disdain before. He looked at her like she was trash. 

“Why are you here?” She finally asked. The offending look melted away into an amicable smile that failed to calm Kotomi down, but he settled back into his resting position as he stared up into the sky. 

“Just felt like staring at the sky. But as I thought, it’s lonely to do it alone, isn’t it?” There was a warning in Kotomi’s gut. Like he was going to breach a wall she didn’t want him to touch. “No friends?”

“…” Kotomi opened her book, hopinh drown him out.  _ Don’t react. That’s what he wants,  _ her mind reasoned.

“Ah, I see. They went to war, didn’t they?” Her nails started to dig into the spine of her book as she gritted her teeth. 

_ I just want it to be normal… _

“The military is scary, isn’t it? Your friends will probably get killed out there.” 

_ Normal. _

“You really don’t feel anything?” 

_ Please stop. _ Kotomi tasted copper in her mouth and she realized she was biting her lip so hard it bled, to keep her reaction behind a sealed mouth.

“How lucky it must be for you, Kotori-chan, all you have to do is sit here and look—” 

**_ WHACK. _ **

Her hand moved before her brain processed. Without warning, Kotomi swung her book at him with all the force she could manage in her muscles. But she didn’t hear what should have been be a satisfying cry of pain. Instead, she heard a derisive chuckle, and couldn’t stop him as his much stronger arm pushed the book back towards her. 

“Nice try, little Kotori-chan, but you’ll have to try a little harder.” He stood up, looming over her with a smug, victorious, and spiteful smile. Kotomi her face turn hot with shame and bewilderment. What had she ever done to him? Why was he doing this? “What’s wrong? Gonna cry? Don’t you want to hit me? You can’t can you? All  _ you  _ can do is read your books.” Kotomi felt that her eyes were going to start stinging, but she dug her nails into her notes to fight the urge. 

“Oi.” The new voice turned both their heads towards the horizon. Kotomi looked surprised, while her ‘companion’ seemed less amused, and more annoyed. A young man with sharp features, not even including his spiky, short hair, dressed in an olive-green jacket over a hoodie, stood just a few feet away. He surveyed the scene, his expression reading irritation, but for who, Kotomi had no idea. Even though he seemed more magnanimous towards her presence, Kotomi felt intimidated by this newcomer, without him even looking at her. 

“Are you seriously antagonizing random girls now?” The brunette boy’s personality took a sudden turn, as he wildly and childishly whined at the new visitor, even stomping his foot and gesturing wildly to her as if she was obviously guilty of some crime. 

“She tried to hit me, Iwa-chan!” 

“Because you’re a crappy guy and probably did something suspicious.” 

“You’re supposed to take my side on this!” The spiky haired boy’s expression became murderous, almost comically so. Both Kotomi and this supposed “crappy guy” backed up on instinct. 

** “Lets. Go.” ** He practically snarled. The young man bowed his head in defeat and walked away from Kotomi, to her relief, and was met with a shocking fist to the head from whoever this boy was. He shoved the brunette’s head down before Kotomi in a bow.

“Sorry about this guy.” Kotomi blinked a few times, as if unable to believe what was going on. The pretty one behaved like some territorial beast, and the scary one was apologizing on his behalf? Kotomi only nodded absentmindedly, and watched as the two boys bickered back and forth about why the brunette needed to apologize. 

“She’s the one who came and bothered me, Iwa-chan! You don’t know the whole story!” 

“Shut up, Shittykawa.” 

“You’re so mean!” 

“You shouldn’t even be here, dumbass.”  _ No kidding,  _ Kotomi couldn’t help thinking. But she knew better than to re-escalate a problem that was quite obviously being handled. Watching fights between Aomine, Kise, and Murasakibara was enough to teach her that simple lesson . 

“I was obviously escaping Iwa-chan, because he’s a brute-ouch!  _ OUCH!  _ Okay, I’ll stop!” Kotomi bit her lip and takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. Coming today felt like a failure of her objectives.

“I guess I’ll be going, then…” The brunette announced before he looked to Kotomi, and smirked handsomely at her again, though there was no less animosity in it than before. However, the effect was extremely diminished after she watched his punishment at the hand of his friend. She only raised a brow. Thanks to this stranger, she regained her nerves. “I hope we don’t meet again, Kotori-chan!~” He turned to leave, his friend tossed her a look over his shoulder, but she couldn’t put a word to the expression. 

“Kotomi.” The two stopped to look at her when her voice came out, louder than the voice she had spoken with before, but with less authority and more civility than was necessary, considering what just transpired. 

Her eyes bored into theirs as if she was studying them and committing their visages to her memory. The wind picked up and her hair whipped to the side, cobalt blue seemed to flare through the veil of black on her face a bit. Despite the brightness of the day, the air seemed chilly, somehow, even though both boys felt the heat of the sun caressing their skin.

“Hah?” The brunette didn’t look impressed by her show of bravado, though his friend seemed a little more interested, if not wary. 

“My name is Fujisaki Kotomi. I came here every day with my friends, but now they’re off fighting. I’m going to protect this place until they come back, and I’m going to do what I need to, no matter how many angry little boys come to pester me.” 

“Angry little boys, huh...?” A smirk appeared on the brunette’s lips, as if he was witnessing a humming bird as it struggled in vein to assert its supposed dominance over a perching hawk, before the hawk’s beak snapped shut on that pretty, tiny little body. 

“Well then, Fujisaki  _ Kotori-chan,  _ my name is the Great Oikawa. And I’m claiming your spot whether you like it or not. So don’t come here again, if you know what’s good for you.”

“I always come here at lunchtime.” This caught them both off guard this time, but Kotomi remained unfettered as she smiled. “I’ll extend an invitation to you. Now you’re here because I requested it.” 

_ Sorry, Sei-kun. You always told me not to be so petty. Just this once. _

“Are you inviting me…to come back?” Oikawa asked with suspicion.  _ I don’t know how to deal with that kind of attitude…  _ Oikawa was clearly frustrated that the tables had turned. He really only came here to relax, and he wanted to make her squirm in retaliation for having interrupted him with some childish bullshit about this being  _ her  _ tree.  _ Seriously,  _ what kind of rich kid attitude was that? Thinking you  _ own  _ a tree? And now she was playing the gracious hostess?

“That’s right.” Kotomi confirmed. She knew he wasn’t going to stop coming, and she was a master at outstubborning the stubborn kids. Whoever backed out first lost. 

Oikawa was plotting as well. He knew that his friend wanted him to refuse, but an invitation to torment her wasn’t an awful way to spend his freetime. He grinned triumphantly. 

“Alright,” He said as he turned to go, hands on his hips as he started heading in the opposite direction of the city with his comrade. “Then I’ll be back here to bother you tomorrow,  _ Kotori-chan.” _

“Thank you… _ Shittykawa.”  _ He choked a little but by the time he turned around with a scowl on his lips, she was already running off, books tucked under her arm. She didn’t even glance back. He watched with a petulant frown, and shouted after her. 

“My name is Oikawa Tooru, you better remember that!” 

What a little brat…

__ “Pft!” The young man beside him covered his mouth with his arm, like he was covering up a sneeze.

“Iwa-chan, don’t laugh, that was your fault-ACK!” 

* * *

** Citadel Training Grounds-8 Hours Away **

“Too slow!” Nijimura shouted down at a young man who fell during the obstacle course. “The 2 trainees with the lowest evaluations don’t get dinner at the end of the week! If you keep failing, you’ll starve!” The next week it would be the 4 lowest scores, the next week 6. There was no time for an adjustment period, as they were all finding out.

Nijimura looked up into the blazing sun and cursed under his breath. The news didn’t advertise how bad the war situation was really getting. The number of soldiers dying outnumbered the number of trainees they got, and the gap grew with every passing year. There was already too much talk going around the higher ups. 

Talk of starting training at 12-years-old. Talk of pulling back from the established bases so many died to secure and concentrating on fortifying the border. Talk of increasing the birth rate through what the less than palatable generals called “baby farms.” All those options left a bitter taste in Nijimura’s mouth, but he couldn’t do anything about it. There was no solution and only bad answers. And he wasn’t willing to abandon his post, in memory of his father.

If this was the only way he could help the war effort, then so be it. Better than having done nothing. He grabbed the young boy by the collar and yanked him to his feet as he gave him a less than gentle shove. 

“If you fall, no one will come to pick you up! You’re bullet shields for your stronger comrades!” His words echoed through the camp which pushed the young boys to move faster. “Act as if you’ll die if you don’t complete this course!” He turned to look at the end of the course, but his eyes were drawn to a flash of dark blue that flew by him. He turned his head to watch as the tanned teenager expertly leapt over hurdles, crawled under barbed wire, and carried the 75lb sandbag over the barrier wall, through the monkey bars, and through the mud in record time, even faster than Nijimura himself did when he was a trainee. He looked at the numbers on the young man’s jacket and the corresponding name list, writing underneath it. 

_ Aomine Daiki. Fast and agile.  _

“Fuck yeah!” Aomine shouted as he throws the sandbag at the ground, sweating and panting only after completing the course, as if he moved so quickly his body’s reactions needed time to catch up.

_ Also loud and needs discipline.  _

~

“Evading traps is a double edged sword, but it’s a good risk to take when you’re avoiding enemies. But treat every unknown situation or unknown territory as if there is death at every turn.” Honey brown eyes scanned the dirt carefully. The mines underneath were fake but exploded a ghastly red powder to simulate the range of a real explosion. If you got it on other people, your score for the entire course was 0 for today. Kise watched Akashi, who seemed to deliberate for moment before he quickly ran across; his footwork impeccable, graceful, and quick as he crossed the course without setting off a single mine.

It was all Kise needed. With a crack of his knuckles and a deep breath, he ran across with the same exact movements as Akashi. Nijimura watched with an impressed smirk, though it was quick to disappear as the blonde spotted Aomine, who ran fast enough across that he set off several mines without so much as getting a fleck on him, but through a path that didn’t put anyone in range of the blast. Kise waved ecstatically, jumping up and down.

“Aominecchi!~ Did you see that!?” 

“Shut up, Kise!” 

_ Kise Ryota. Observant and quick to memorize, but too flashy. _

~

The gunfire sent smoke into the air and into their lungs as they tried to fire at the targets about 50, 100 150, 175 and 200 meters away, the furthest being the approximate distance of the average trench battle on the border and enemy lines. Nijimura stared with disapproval at the bullet holes outside the targets and stray bullets which littered the floor, but he spotted a green head which stood stiller than most, held steady, and fired with excellent accuracy at the 150-meter mark. He got head and heart shots with increasing accuracy. However, the shots only occurred every minute or so. Not to mention, that bespectacled boy was carrying…a can of air freshener? 

_ Midorima Shintaro. Excellent shot, but slow to fire…why the air freshener?  _

~

Nijimura’s eyebrows shot up when he spotted the purple haired giant lift one of the weight machines at least a foot off the ground. He did this with almost every machine about 20 minutes into the muscle conditioning workout, sometimes even with people sitting  _ on  _ it. Question was, what exactly was he looking for? 

“Murasakibara, what seems to be the problem?” Nijimura approached him with a wary expression, a little concerned over how somber the young man seemed. Murasakibara groaned, his darkened expression meeting Captain Nijimura’s. 

“I had a red bean bun in my pocket, but I think it fell out.” Nijimura’s eyebrow twitched, and he opened his mouth to start lecturing him.

“Murasakibara,” Akashi approached the purple haired teen with a disapproving look. “Now is not the time. Finish the work out first.” 

“But my bun…” 

“Would you rather run laps without dinner at the end of the week?”

“…” Begrudgingly, Murasakibara ceased his search and departed to complete his bench pressing. Akashi glanced at Nijimura and bowed slightly, heading off to complete his own work out. Nijimura’s lip twitched, threatening a smile. 

_ Murasakibara Atsushi. Strong, but food motivated and childish.  _

_ Akashi Seijuro. Top scores and great leadership. No problems _ . 

~

In the middle of the forest surrounding the training camp, Nijimura climbed and vaulted over large roots and fallen trees, as well as the dilapidated swing set and the hood of an old car. This had once been a park, but a bomb dropped in the area at the beginning of the war decimated most of the area. Reconstruction of this area of the city had taken about 75 years to complete, but the old park that had been destroyed was repurposed for training grounds. He had all the trainees searching the entire park. 

The 2 lowest scores at the end of this week would get no dinner, but anyone who managed to hit him with a paint ball during within the time limit of 20 minutes was automatically granted exemption from the ranking and given special privileges for that week. Nijimura felt the reward was equivalent to the difficulty in catching him. Therefore, he had to be even more difficult to catch. If any trainee could catch him the way they were right now, he had no right to call himself a Major. 

“Hn,” Nijimura smirked a little as his ears perked to the sound of an approaching trainee. He flexed his muscles in anticipation, being completely unarmed. “Charging me so loudly like that? They really are children.” He leapt back from the brush just as the tall red-headed boy shot out from them, easily dodging a broad, large swing using a plastic knife, wet and shiny with red ink staining the sides. If Nijimura had a weapon, the teen would already be dead, seeing as he left himself open like that. 

“Shit! I missed!”  _ Kagami Taiga. Fast, good power, but too hot-headed and easy to  read.  _ Another rustle surprised Nijimura during his mental notes, but as the young man with a beauty mark under his eye emerged from the bushes, paint gun at the ready, Nijimura grinned wildly. The look made the dark-haired boy take a step back, which allowed Nijimura to turn and grab his arm. He squeezed so tight and twisted his arm so that when he pulled the trigger, it hits Kagami in the leg. 

Himuro Tatsuya.  _ Calm and collected, excellent athletics, hardworking, but shows no confidence.  ~~ Beautiful man, though. ~~ _

Nijimura pulled Himuro’s arm behind his back and wrapped a strong forearm around his throat while standing behind him. Kagami stopped his assault and stood in front of him, glaring heatedly. 

“Tatsuya!” 

“He’d be dead if this was a real encounter. Both of you would be. You had a plan, but not only didn’t you fail to follow through, you didn’t have a backup if you didn’t work. An enemy won’t overlook that, so you have to outthink them and yourselves at every turn. At the very least, you should at least learn to move a little quieter.” Suddenly, Nijimura got this chilling, sinking feeling in his stomach, the kind he only felt on the battlefield _. _ He turned quickly, pulling Himuro with him, which allowed him to narrowly dodge the plastic blade that would have marked his chest, if it weren’t for the young man standing in front of him. Just then, the siren marked the end of the exercise, with no one managing to catch their captain. 

All three males stared at the new arrival with wide eyes as he stepped out fully from the woods; meanwhile, impassive baby blue surveyed the situation. After a long pause, Kagami spoke first. 

“When…when did you get here!?” Kagami’s voice echoed a little as Nijimura released Himuro and walked quickly over to his clipboard to figure out just who the hell this guy was. 

“I’ve been here.” 

_ That’s impossible,  _ Nijimura thought as he took note of the boy’s ID numbers. Kuroko Tetsuya… _ His scores are so low! How did he manage to catch me off guard like that?  _ He seemed a bit incredulous. 

“How long have you been there, Kuroko?” Baby blue met steely silver.

“Since before you got here.” 

“Hah? Then why didn’t you attack?” Kagami looked quite perplexed. If he was here the whole time, how did he not notice this guy as he was sneaking around?

“Because the Major never let his guard down.” 

“You guys can discuss that at dinner,” Nijimura advised as he wrote on his clipboard, expression unreadable. Attacking the moment the enemy’s attention was diverted elsewhere…pretty good for a rookie. “Head to the showers for now.” 

“Yes sir.” A smile appeared on the Major’s lips as the three head off back to the living quarters. He had never felt so glad to be wrong about an initial assessment as he made his notes on the first two, and then the dark horse who appeared at just the last second. If this hadn’t been a timed event, he would have been marked eventually. 

_ Kuroko Tetsuya. Average, barely noticeable, but…there’s promise.  _ It looked like this year’s trainees were insane, in all kinds of ways. Perhaps this was the year for things to start changing, for better or for worse. 

* * *

** Akashi Residence **

Open bags of biscuits and snacks surround empty cups of juice, tea, and open textbooks and papers scattered the floor of Kotomi’s bedroom. Momoi was laying on her stomach, hugging a pillow at the foot of the bed while Kotomi leaned against the foot board acting as a backrest. A book on emergency medical treatment sat open and forgotten as Momoi fumed adorably, cheeks puffed and dainty fists pounding the mattress in frustration. 

“This Oikawa person sounds so awful! Kotomi-chan! If I were there I would have beat him up!” Kotomi giggled as Momoi gnawed on a biscuit in irritation. 

“I’m not particularly devastated about what he thinks. I just thought it was shocking.”

“Obviously he’s jealous!” Momoi pouted childishly. “We do have it easier than a lot of other people do, what with Akashi-kun’s family taking such good care of us. But it’s isn’t like we really had a choice in coming here! He’s not worth the time, Koto-chan!” 

“I know, but I don’t think that’s it…” The opinions of strangers and their petty emotions hardly fazed her, but this was different. He seemed envious, yes, but there had to be more. “He just felt different.” 

“How so?” Kotomi pursed her lips at Momoi’s question. 

“Even if you ask me directly like that, I wouldn’t be able to tell you..” She wanted to peel back the layers, one by one, to find the core of what could give him such an expression. She was sure of that and…”But...”

“But?” 

“He was quite beautiful, as well. It’s a shame he looks so ugly when he’s mean.” 

“Right!?” Momoi blinked as she registered Kotomi’s words, looking at her and blinking in disbelief. “That Shittykawa guy?” 

“Mhm…” Wild brown eyes, messy hair, strong jawline. He still had a boyish air about him, not to mention he seemed pretty mature like Akashi and childish like Kise all at the same time. “He had a rotten personality, though.” Momoi looked terrified. Being pursued by the boys for 5 years and Kotomi fell in love with a bully she met once!?

“You’re a weird girl, Koto-chan.” 

“I can tell when someone is pretty, it doesn’t mean that I like him or think he’s any less rude and awful.” 

“It’s a good thing Tetsu-kun and the others weren’t there to hear about this.” Momoi didn’t even try to hide the sad notes in her voice, missing her friends deeply. Especially that powder blue haired boy with a mysterious aura and a kind voice. Kotomi giggled a little at the thought. 

Kise and Aomine would have tried to meet that boy there again to “teach him a lesson,” but Akashi and Midorima would have ensured that they couldn’t cause any more trouble than there already was. Kuroko would have been attentive to Kotomi. He always made sure she felt safe and loved. Murasakibara would have tried to offer her snacks as consolation, and when she smiled, the day would be saved. She needed to prove to herself that she could protect them and the place they loved. That’s why she couldn’t back off. 

“They’re quite reliable, aren’t they?” Her tender smile didn’t escape Momoi’s watchful eye, who smiled in return and blushed slightly. 

“I don’t want to worry about things like that while they’re away training to fight, Satsuki-chan…” Fear flashed through Momoi’s face as she looked up at the ceiling again, biting her bottom lip. 

“That’s right, they’ll be going to war, once they’re done.” The conversation took a turn in an upsetting direction. Momoi sat up quickly, biting her thumb nail.“Kotomi-chan, what will we do? What will we do if they…if they get hurt?” 

“Then I’ll heal them. I’ll protect them. I won’t let them die and leave us.” Kotomi scooted closer to her best friend and rubbed her back, pulling Momoi’s hand away from her lips. The very thought burned her throat as she swallowed hard and shook her head. “I’ll do whatever I have to. That’s why I have to work hard.” 

“But you won’t be there to help them.” 

“Yes I will.” 

“Not all the time. You’ll be at the medical centers, right?” Kotomi didn’t answer. Momoi scrutinized solemn Kotomi, her eyes wide. “Right?” 

“About that...” Kotomi smiled sheepishly. Momoi groaned and slapped a hand over her eyes.

“Kotomi, they told us to stay out of the war zones, you can’t.” 

“I submitted my application a while ago, I can’t pull out, now. I’m going to be an on-site medic.” Momoi slapped her hands onto the mattress. The bed bounced lightly in response to the sudden shock. 

“Kotomi!” 

“I won’t sit and let them fight and get hurt without doing anything.” Kotomi defended herself. 

“Then join me with the analysts, or stay within the safe zones! You can’t go out there, Kotomi, we’re not like them! And we’ll only be a burden if they know!” 

“That’s why they can’t find out.” Kotomi turned to look at her friend, eyes pleading as she held Momoi’s hands in both of hers. “Please, Satsuki. I’m not like you. I don’t understand patterns in numbers and I certainly can’t choose who goes to war. I won’t sit in the safe zone when they’re out fighting, either.” 

“Kotomi…” 

“All my life, you guys have protected me and kept me safe. If I can protect them when they need it the most, then I can feel at ease. Let me help them. For them, for us.” Momoi bit her lip and looked like she was ready to cry. 

“But what if  _ you  _ get hurt, out there?” Kotomi paused. She had no answer for that. She couldn’t find someone to teach her. Of course, Akashi’s father knew of her enrollment, but not her role since she changed it on her own. 

“I’ll…do my best.” 

“Kotomi, that’s not good enough. If you get hurt, it will destroy them. They’re fighting hard for us, and what will they do if they come home and find out you’re hurt, or worse?” Kotomi remembered the time that she had fallen from a tree when they were 11. She had been hiding from Akashi during a game of hide and seek, and slipped and fell, knocking herself unconscious in the fall. When she awoke, everyone was in hysterics. Even the ever-silent Kuroko was unable to stop sniffling eveb after she woke up, and Kise refused to leave her alone. They wouldn’t even let her play hide and seek for almost a month. She could only imagine the chaos, now.

“You’re right…but that won’t stop me. I love them, Momoi. I’m willing to risk everything for them.” Momoi blushed at this, holding her cheeks. Of course, she understood the kind of love she was thinking of wasn’t the same as what Kotomi was thinking of, but knowing how they likely felt for her made her cheeks heat up. Momoi hummed a little and rocked back and forth to self soothe. It was time to discuss something else. It was getting too dark. Momoi sighed a little too loud, and this caused Kotomi to raise an eyebrow at her, seeming unimpressed with her “attempt” at being inconspicuous about changing subjects.

Most notably, without promising that she wasn’t going to tell. 

“Satsuki…” She took a sip from her lukewarm tea, if only not to waste the drink that the maids had so kindly brewed for them.

“I just want to know…if it  _ did  _ come up…which one would you marry?” 

“ **_ What?”  _ ** Kotomi choked on her tea, grasping at her chest and quickly setting the cup down before she dropped and ruined it. She was only 13, and her life had barely begun, why would she start thinking about marriage now?

“Ki-chan always talks about marrying you!” Momoi looked incredulous at her surprise. 

“I can’t even think about them any other way!” 

“How do you even see them, anyway?” 

“…cousins?” 

_ Guys, I’m so sorry you’re in love with such a confusing girl… _

_ “ _ W-well, why do I even have to get married!?”

“It’d be a waste if you didn’t have children, Koto-chan!” 

“Ahhhh! No!” Kotomi’s face flushed red and she hid her face. Momoi laughed triumphantly. Serious talk averted!

_ Okay, Satsuki-chan, two can play at that game!  _ Kotomi placed a finger to her chin, simulating deep thought.

“If I could only choose from our group then...Tetsuya?” Momoi gasped and shook her head frantically, throwing her arms around Kotomi in panic. 

“No! You don’t have to get married, Kotomi! You’re perfectly capable of being a strong, capable woman without a man beside you!” Kotomi laughed and threw her arms around the peach-scented girl. 

“How about I steal you from Tetsuya, Sa-chan?” Momoi laughed as well, falling backwards on the bed as both tried to forget the sense of foreboding for the near future for all of them. Even as they played, Kotomi felt a twinge of guilt, which Momoi likely intended. 

_ I need to learn how to fight. _

* * *

“ _ A….Achoo!”  _ Aomine jerked his tray of food away from Kise with a heated glare as he protected the food with his life. 

“Oi, don’t tell me you’re getting sick, already?” 

“No, I’m not! Someone must be talking about me!” Kise whined. “I’m sure my fans are missing me from school, already!” 

“Die, Kise-chin.” Murasakibara drawled while eating his food. While Kise gasped childishly at the cruel verbal abuse, Kuroko met up with his friends in the mess hall, sitting down to a sumptuous meal of vegetables and large steaks. What with the declining numbers of trainees, the quality of food became almost the same level as what was served at Akashi’s house, to encourage the growing boys’ potentials as powerful teens and adults. That’s why the food was only given to those who met the daily agenda. They settled in for their meal, Kise sighed and idly bit into the chunk of steak he cut. 

“I miss Kotomicchi…” There was a collective sigh at the table. Midorima pushed his now broken glasses up, effect diminished thanks to some poor boy who tried to sling a sandbag over his shoulder. He ended up smacking the taller green haired boy in the face.

“You must be taking it very lightly to be thinking of home right now, Kise. The beginning of training is the hardest, you should focus more, or you’ll bring the Akashi name down. You won’t be able to look Fujisaki in the face.” 

“You’re so stuffy, Midorima. Just call her Kotomi like everyone else.” Aomine complained and rolled his eyes.

“Mido-chin, I always see you sticking your hand in your pocket to touch the charm she gave all of us. You’re thinking about her, too.” Aomine took a huge bite out of the steak he had impaled with his fork and grumbled as Midorima did a spit take with to vehemently reject Murasakibara’s accusation, despite the red on his cheeks which suggested otherwise. 

“I don’t even know why she made you guys one. I’m going to be top soldier, so just sit back and let me protect you all for her sake.” Aomine announced as he reached over and stabbed a cube of Kise’s steak, and shoved it into his mouth before the blonde could protest. 

“Hey! Aominecchi! That was mine! You always do this!” 

“Hah? Calm down, I need the energy to be the best.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous! Aominecchi, you’re the one who was scolded by Captain Nijimura, earlier!” 

“So did you!” 

“And!?” Kise and Aomine stood up, grabbing the fabric of the other’s shirts, fists pulled back. There was a small laugh from beside the table, followed by two figures approaching. 

“Oh!” Kise looked to the newcomers, tilting his head slightly. “You’re those other guys…?” 

“The name’s Kagami Taiga, Blondie.” The redhead growled as he turned his head away. 

“Hah? Who even asked?” Suddenly, Aomine and Kise turned their sights off each other and on the red-headed boy, lightning cracked as the three pairs of eyes met. 

“My name is Himuro Tatsuya.” The dark haired boy greeted politely.

“Nice to meet you. Your performance during the hand to hand combat segment was quite impressive. What brings you here?” Both completely ignored the rising murderous tensions beside them as Akashi smiled politely at Himuro.

“I just thought it looks so lively, here, would you mind if we joined in?” Himuro asked hopefully and chided his friend in the same breath. “Stop glaring, Taiga.” 

“Why do we have to sit with these guys?” Kagami complained. “They’re a bunch of prissy boys.”

“What did you say?” Aomine once again locked eyes with the new redhead who only returned a sour scowl. 

“Please do.” He challenged right back. Akashi gestured to the two empty seats left at the table, allowing for them to sit beside Akashi and Kuroko. 

“Come on, Taiga.” Himuro urged. “It’s good to make friends, since we’re all going to be allies from now on. Kagami grumbled, but begrudingly sat down. But he leapt back onto his feet when he finally noticed Kuroko there, gasping and nearly dropping his food. 

“When did you-!?” 

“I’ve been here.” Kuroko responded innocuously. 

“Not this shit again…” Kagami looked to Himuro for help, but his friend only chuckled and turned to Akashi. 

“So who is this ‘Fujisaki’ you guys were talking about?” He was curious, having heard their conversation towards the end. “Is he here?” 

“The cutest thing in the whole world!” Kise butt into the conversation immediately, practically shining with excitement at the chance to talk about his supposed favorite person. “She’s training to be a medic so that she can take care of us!” 

“How nice,” Himuro chuckled a bit, leaning away from Kise’s sunshine. “She must love you guys so much, to decide something like that.” 

“Hah?” Aomine looked to Himuro with a raised brow. “What do you mean by ‘something like that’?” 

“Well, willingly choosing to go into the battlefield to help you guys is—” 

“She won’t be on-site.” The silver-eyed teen jumped when Kuroko spoke up, as if he had once again forgotten that there was an 8 th person at this table. Kuroko’s eyes were as impassive as ever, but there was a note of slight concern somewhere in those baby-blue depths. 

“She’s going to work from the safe zones.” 

“As if we would ever allow her to be so close to the fighting.” Midorima nodded in agreement. “Even though we told her to just worry about her studies…” There was the strain of distress in his voice. 

“Koto-chin is small and cute, and she smells sweet and her hair is long and shiny. She wouldn’t last a day outside the city.” Murasakibara commented as he polished off the last of his steak, much to Kagami’s astonishment. 

_ He ate it like a cookie… _ None of the others spoke, but there was suddenly tension in the air. None of them liked the idea of Kotomi being exposed to any kind of warfare outside of what she saw as a child. But they knew how obstinate she could be, so they were willing to compromise on the medic part. It didn’t mean that it didn’t make them uneasy, though. There will still plenty of ways to get hurt on-site, too. Himuro was quite surprised by the sudden intensity from teenaged boys. 

“You guys love her a lot, I’m almost a little jealous.” Midorima spluttered again and turned red, gaping like a fish. 

“I-It’s only natural to protect one’s friends! That doesn’t have anything to do with it.” 

“I’m protecting her because I love her.” Kise said blatantly as he blinked cluelessly. “You don’t love Kotomicchi, Mido-chin?” 

“I-I-!” 

“That’s good, then! Because she’s going to marry me when we’re older, after all.” Kise said this with a smile, but there was challenge in his eyes.

“Quit deciding things like that on your own, Kise.” Aomine huffed, seeming a little bit like a panther cub, warning his sibling to back down. 

“Don’t decide things without asking Kotomi-chan first, Kise-kun.” Even Kuroko sounded irate. Himuro was quite interested in the effect the mere mention of this girl’s name had on the continuous top scorers. He only wished his brother was as invested in learning about their fellow trainees. He glanced at Kagami, who was gnawing away at his steak, completely disregarding the vegetables for the moment. 

“Of course we love her,” Akashi offered, “We love her and Momoi. We’ve been together for years now. We’re family. Everyone here is a vital part of that family, and we want to stay together forever.” The smoothness of his answer finally allowed Midorima to compose himself, though he was mindlessly fidgeting with the tape on his fingers.

“Do you have any pictures of her? She seems so interesting, after all.” 

“You sound like an old man, Tatsuya. Who carried around pictures like that around in-“ A hand offered both young men a picture of Kotomi as she sat underneath the plum tree half asleep with a book open in her lap. Fallen plum blossoms littered the open pages. Her half-lidded eyes and disheveled hair sitting outside of its typical side ponytail made for a very rare image of their typically well put together friend. 

“Oh, she’s very cute,” Himuro’s hummed in admiration. “I’m actually shocked that someone who looks like this still exists.” When there was no response, he was made aware that the rest of the table was suddenly very quiet.

“Akashi…” Midorima was the first to speak of his childhood friends, eyes never moving from the picture. 

“Where…did you get that picture of Kotomicchi?” Kise finished the question on everyone’s mind.

“I took it one day while you were out buying snacks.” Akashi blinked innocently. “She never looks like this around us, so I thought I would capture the moment. I thought she looked quite adorable. But she gets embarrassed whenever I bring it up, so I just keep it to myself. Do you think I should have asked her if it was alright to show other people?” He looked up to listen to their responses, confused as to why his friends looked so determined all of a sudden. Everyone except the red-headed heir and the two newcomers had the same exact thought.

_ That picture is mine! _

“Akashicchi, how can you share a treasure like that so easily!?” Kise whined. “That should be for our eyes, only!” 

“That’s right, Akashi-kun,” Himuro joked, laughing a bit. “She’s so cute I might have to steal her from you guys.” Immediately, 6 pairs of eyes fly to Himuro, and he suddenly felt shiver up his spine. Himuro had let his guard down, since they seemed so amicable. But he was wrong. Even Kuroko’s lack of presence was suddenly suffocating under that intense stare. 

_ I was just joking, too… _

“Oi, Oi,” Kagami warned, not liking the sudden shift in atmosphere. “He was kidding. Seriously, you guys need to cut out whatever you’re doing right now.” A chuckle caught their attentions. Akashi closed his eyes to laugh, and when he opened them, they’re calm, but suddenly a little colder than before. His tone was still amicable, but with a drop of something else as well. 

“Kagami-kun is correct. It was just a joke.” Himuro’s shoulders didn’t relax even with the peaceful pause in his words, because the pause doesn’t last long. “It’s alright to show him a picture, since the real thing is safe and sound at home.” Himuro laughed and nodded in agreement, the tense atmosphere  _ almost  _ melted away, but there was still something in the air. Himuro swallowed hard while he decided to chat with Kagami about the training results today. Even as the tense atmosphere melted and the prodigies became friendly again, a leftover bead of sweat dripped down his temple. 

_ These guys…might be dangerous. _

** Day 1 End **


	3. Cats, Owls, Gorillas and Hummingbirds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While everyone adjusts to the new 'normal', some shocking revelations and surprising discoveries are made. Kotomi paves her way toward her own future, Oikawa gets several rude awakenings, everyone gets compared to animals, and Akashi and the others find themselves at the center of a new directive of the Citadel Army.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases. 
> 
> Thank you for the bookmark, Jedinyra! I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Love, Silky

**__ **

** Chapter 3: Cats, Owls, Gorillas and Hummingbirds **

** Outskirts of the Citadel **

The messy-headed brunette hummed as he wandered the new area. Iwaizumi warned him not to wander too far away from base alone, but this was more for the safety of any poor soul that Oikawa Tooru happened upon than for the perpetrator himself. But who knew when they would get to come here again? It didn’t feel right to be holed up in their hideout all day. He wanted to find something he didn’t get to see often. 

And his search didn’t end in vain. He had never seen a blooming flower in his 13 years of life. He never even imagined that trees could even  _ have  _ flowers. But when he found the tree with delicate, purple blossoms, he was so glad that his sneaking away had a payoff. Such luxuries in life didn’t find him often, so he had to make use of it before it was dashed again by the shitty existence he lived.

And lo and behold came the executioner of his short-lived peace. Oikawa heard her before he saw her, the sound of soft footsteps approaching him from behind. As he stood up to greet her, he turned to face the grating new presence in the form of a pretty girl with vibrant blue eyes and hair as dark as night.

She was short and healthy-looking, if not pampered, despite the way she tried to present herself otherwise. Oikawa took in her well-groomed appearance, her soft, bouncy hair, clean skin, and the soft scent of rose that he could inhale with the gentle breeze of clean air. And it pissed him off that he felt his stupid teen hormones swayed.

To know that he would never know of such pleasures in life that this stranger was all too familiar with. He had to remind himself that anyone would look nice if they had it as good as her. It made him want to bully her, and so he did. He wished for her to be angry and bitter, just like him. How did she end up so lucky, to live like this? Oikawa had so many questions for this girl, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask a single one. But the happier she was with her life, then all the more he wished misfortune would befall her.

His bitterness swelled with pride when she tried to hit him with her book, despite the fact that he noted how cute her slender, trembling arms were. Her eyes shined with the beginnings of tears, but were hardened like sapphire, a fine jewel he had only ever read about in scraps of old advertisements he found in the kindling for their fire on a cold winter night.

_ That’s right. Hate me. So I can hate you. That’s how this world works, after all.  _

__

It would justify the ways he wanted to hurt her. But he also felt an immense relief when Iwaizumi stopped him, the look in his childhood friends’ eyes doused the fire raging within him.

_ I get how you feel, but this isn’t how you should deal with it.  _

__

_I know, Iwa-chan._ Oikawa’s anger simmered down just before boiling over, but the fire was still raging. _Even if I tell myself she didn’t do anything to me, I still can’t stop being mad at her._

Out of concern for the situation escalating, he conceded and let the encounter he go with a few more mocking words and a sly grin, fully expecting to walk away victorious. He wasn’t a good person, no, and he wasn’t above this kind of behavior. He reasoned that he was just a kid, after all.

What he didn’t expect was for this small girl, who smelled like roses and spent her time reading books under a tree whose name he didn’t know, to respond the way she did. Her eyes seemed to pierce his very soul, as she spoke her name in a voice louder than before, her posture still straight and head still held high.

He was vaguely reminded of a book that Kuroo showed him.

_ “The hell is that?” He asked questioningly as he pressed a dirty finger to the page. Kuroo smacked his hand away with a small glare.  _

_ “You can look at things without touching them. That’s a hummingbird.” _

_ “It’s so small...” Iwaizumi commented as he peered over Oikawa’s shoulder. “How could a small bird like that survive in the wild?”  _

_ “Well, they’re gone now, so they didn’t survive at all.” Oikawa huffed. “That’s just how things are in a world like this.”  _

_ “Well, it was able to keep on living for a while, maybe.” Kuroo added. “They’re super territorial, after all.” _

_ “So? A much bigger animal could tear that little rat with wings apart.” Oikawa insisted. “Small things like that are better off in a cage to keep the world out and itself safe.”  _

A frail little thing, whose heart was ready to give out from how frantically it flapped its wings to stay afloat.

_ Kuroo grinned and shook his head, sighing . “You lack imagination, Tooru-kun~ Animals don’t just exist because they’re allowed to. They fight to survive, like us.” Oikawa pouted, unable to say anything back to that.  _

_ “How does something like that fight?” Iwaizumi asked curiously, his eyes widening as Kuroo pointed to the hummingbird’s long, sharp beak.  _

As he returned with Iwaizumi, Oikawa found himself glancing back towards the plum tree, his expression quite thoughtful.

“Oi. You’re really gonna meet up with that girl again?” Iwaizumi asked incredulously. “You better not. She’s obviously someone important.”

“Eh? Iwa-chan, are you my mom?” Oikawa joked, despite knowing that it wouldn’t end well for him.

“I’ll kill you.” On cue, Iwaizumi snapped at him with a sharp glare. But Oikawa ignored it, as his expression became thoughtful again.

“Hey, Iwa-chan…” Iwaizumi was taken aback by his friends’ serious expression.Though he had a tendency to become lost in thought, it was always so sudden and at the strangest times that his longtime friend got like that. He always seemed much older than 13 when he did. Oikawa brought a hand to his chin before he spoke.

“I think she had a crush on me.” His expression returned to general disdain. No, nevermind. He probably was never thinking anything important when he said stuff like that.

“I think you’ve finally lost it.” Oikawa chuckled, looking up at the sky, the bright sun beating down on his skin.

“Just kidding. I was just thinking I’d like to get back at that girl, since she looks so cute when she’s mad.”

“Well, you probably won’t be able to go tomorrow. We’ve got things to do.”

“We do?” Oikawa shrunk away as Iwaizumi raised a threatening first. “I was kidding! I remember, I remember!” He whined.

“So you’re not gonna go tomorrow, right?” Oikawa nodded. As much as he joked around, he _was_ serious about his job. “You’re gonna leave her hanging?”

“Yeah. It feels good to know that she’s going to be waiting for me while I do more important things, anyway. It’s a good revenge plot.”

“Scumbag.” Iwaizumi deadpanned.

“You’re a bully!”

* * *

** Akashi Residence  **

“Kotomi-chan!” Kotomi ran past Momoi with a brilliant grin. Three years seemed to have passed so quickly. It’s been so quiet in the halls she grew up in. And Starting today, they would be empty no longer. They were home!

“Guys!” Her voice was light and louder and more childish than she typically allowed, but her pores sang with adrenaline as the days under that lovely little tree were within sight once again. 

“Kotomi…?” She wasn’t sure whose voice spoke her name so quietly as ran towards the front door. For some reason, she could see their silhouettes through the crack of where the wooden entrance met the floor of the foyer. That was unusual, as there was a tad too much space between the door and the marble floors. But she didn’t think too long about it. What was important was that they were here. They were here with her again. 

“Welcome hom—” All sound in her throat died as she threw the door open mid greeting. The smell of metal and rot hit her nose so hard it was the same as being hit by a truck. Kotomi’s eyes widened in abject horror at the bloody scene before her. She couldn’t even distinguish what was what, what was  _ who _ . 

All she could see was red.

She covered her mouth and took a step back, her foot came into contact with something soft, like a wet log covered in moss. She slowly looked behind her, over her shoulder, eyes practically bulged out of their sockets as she caught just a glimpse of the pale flesh of an arm coated in red from the shoulder to the fingernails, surrounded by the pool of shiny red that stained the pristine hospital floor. 

_ Hospital…?  _ Kotomi suddenly found herself surrounded by body bags and gurneys, cries of pain and anguish filling her ears. Her stomach churned as she realized she was wearing a medic’s uniform, and the bodies in the gurneys were reaching for her. Faceless beings, identities stripped just like the lives they held onto so desperately. The screams were so real, like she’s heard them before. 

“Help…me…please. Someone, help me.” That voice…it was hers. It was coming from everywhere and nowhere. Kotomi covered her ears, her eyes filled with tears which blurring her vision with an assault of salty moisture. 

_ No… _

__ “Kotomi…?” She feels cold hands at her feet, grasping her ankles. 

_ No!  _

_ Close your eyes. Don’t fight. _

_ NO.  _

__ “Help me.” She couldn’t breathe. 

_ NO….! _

__ “Don’t die.” She felt icy cold hands at her throat, and a voice drowned in sorrow choked up her screams. 

“Live!”

_ “I’m sorry.”  _

Kotomi’s eyes flew open as she said the words, her hands immediately moved to claw at her throat. Her entire forehead was drenched in sweat. Her chest was heaving as she whimpered into the empty space of her room. The notes from her cram school sessions were scattered all over her bed, some trapped beneath the blanket she kicked off her body in the middle of her sleep. 

With fingers curled into the fabric of her shirt, Kotomi cradled her heart in her palm as she slowly sat up, wiping away the sweat from her forehead as she glanced at the calendar she set up on her desk: 

** MEDICAL TRAINING TODAY. **

**** With another heavy sigh, Kotomi lurched out of bed and started to dress in her school uniform, carrying a bag packed full of neat packets of paper containing different kinds of treatments, her position in formations, and her plans of action for when she or another medic on the field was compromised during an extraction. 

A month has passed since her medical training began. In two years, she would be assigned to her site of operation. She was already spending her after-school hours with Alex Garcia, the head of the medical division and her assistant Riko Aida, who specialized in rehabilitation despite only being older than Kotomi by just a year. Kotomi was surprised that she got along with them, since she never got along with any of the other girls at school. But it was a blessing she didn’t know she needed. All this work left Kotomi missing Momoi quite a bit, since the pink-haired beauty was working almost every day after school with the analysts at the lab as well. She hardly ever saw her best friend except at school, and while no one could ever replace Momoi, dinner time with Riko and Alex was more than enough consolation. 

Even when Riko managed to slip into the kitchen and drop vitamins into the pot. 

Kotomi couldn’t even describe how much Alex reminded her of Kise with how they both couldn’t keep their hands off her. Apparently the young woman had a maternal instinct and tended to dote on younger children, especially girls.

“It’s because I raised two boys! I want daughters, too!” Alex often whined. Kotomi wasn’t quite as comfortable with her clinginess as she was with Kise’s, but it was more of a comfort than it was a nuisance, so Kotomi had no glaring qualms on which to act against Alex. Besides, the doting meant that she got to learn more than the other trainees. 

Perhaps she would be able to work on-site sooner than she anticipated. She just had to keep working hard, even if all she was doing was working on medical records, completing the paperwork and treating minor injuries and post-operation patients. She needed the practice, because there wouldn’t be the chance to make mistakes when she was on the field. But she couldn’t wait to be making a greater difference in the war zones.

Today was a treat, however, Kotomi had the afternoon off for the first time since she started, and she already knew what she wanted to do with her time. She planned for an afternoon underneath her favorite place, with her favorite snacks. Maybe she could leave a message for Momoi and the two of them could spend the afternoon studying and eating together. 

Excitedly, she purchased some of her favorite snacks with her allowance and carried her bags to the plum blossom tree. She started running as she nears the tree, so excited but her smile faded as she recognized the silhouette already there, the messy brown hair visible even in the sun. 

His eyes were closed in concentration, so he hadn’t noticed her yet. His stance was widened as he positioned himself so that his body was parallel to the tree. His right foot was pointed out toward the field, while the other was planted so that his toes faced the tree. Kotomi watched with some degree of reluctant admiration as studied his movements. 

He was shirtless, which exposed all the scars on his body. Kotomi felt a twinge of sympathy. How did he end up getting so many? 

Without receiving an answer for her unspoken questions, Kotomi breathed in as Oikawa took a deep breath. His eyes slowly opened with a fierce and focused sharpness that sent shivers down Kotomi’s spine as she clutched her books tighter to her chest. She’s never seen any kind of combat, as far as she knows, aside from the typical roughhousing between Kise and Aomine. But somehow she just knew that this was what a  _ real  _ fighter looked like. But then why wasn’t he at training like the others? Only those with debilitating conditions were excused.

Kotomi bit her lip. He looked too young to look so fierce. It made her sad to think that perhaps Kuroko and the others looked like this, too. Such a fiery look on a young face was enough to make her heart lurch. 

With a sudden, swift movement, Oikawa surged forward, his fist colliding with the wood of the tree so strongly that she heard the crunching of bark under his knuckles. Only this snapped Kotomi out of her daze, and she gasped, running forward. Oikawa was so absorbed that he didn’t notice her until she threw all her weight at him, hoping to tackle him to the ground. Instead, she only knocked him off balance, but instinctively he threw his arms around her with a choked squawk of surprise. 

“Stop!” Kotomi cried out.

“Wahh!” He pushed Kotomi back, holding her at arms-length with a glare. “Don’t do that! I could have hit you!” But Kotomi was too busy shaking a finger in his face, her brow was furrowed in a deep glare.

“Don’t punch the tree, you’ll hurt it!” She was out of breath from running, her eyes still shining with admiration, pale cheeks flushed a rosy pink. “There aren’t a lot of flowering trees left, so you can’t do something like that without thinking!” Oikawa raised an eyebrow at her, quickly letting go as he wiped away at his hands as if she were something dirty. 

“Says the girl who threw herself! You could have thrown your book or something!” Kotomi looked down at her books, lips parted in a small ‘o’ as she realized that might have been better. 

_ Wait, why am I giving her ideas!? _ Oikawa ran his fingers through his hair, sighing in exasperation as he looked up at the tree. He supposed she had a point. 

“Fine. But I have to train. I just thought this rough bark would be a good way to build callouses.” 

“If you’re able to train, then why aren’t you with the rest of the Citadel Army?” Oikawa froze, glad that his back was Kotomi so she wouldn’t see his expression. 

_ Shit. Iwa-chan would kill me if he were here.  _

“It’s none of your business.” He fell back on changing the subject. “You’re awfully nosy for someone who stood me up, Kotori-chan.” 

“Stood you up?” Kotomi sounded incredulous. Oikawa flipped a stray curl of brown hair off his forehead. 

“You told me that you came here at lunch time. But you haven’t come in a while. You lied to me to get back at me for humiliating you. How cruel of you, no wonder you don’t have friends.” He waited for the indignant gasp and the anger to set in, but when he turned around to face Kotomi, she was giving him an unamused expression, brow cocked as she tilted her head. 

“So you’ve been waiting here for me to come?” 

“W-What!?” Oikawa gaped. Well, it was certainly true, but- no! It wasn’t! “I-I wasn’t waiting for you, don’t get ahead of yourself! I said I liked it here, didn’t I?” Kotomi just looked him up and down, unconvinced. He grabbed his own hair and pulled at it in his frustration. How was  _ he  _ the one being led around by the nose!?

“If your knuckles get infected, then it would be bad, right?” Oikawa raised an eyebrow at this sudden question, surprised and made wary by her sudden concern. But this was his chance to get back at her for her sass.

“Hoh, are you concerned about me, Kotori-chan?” 

“Not particularly.” She responded too quickly..

“You know, you’re not cute when you say things so rudely.” Oikawa huffed. “I really don’t know why I bother wasting my time...” His grumbles continued while Kotomi looked up at him with hope shining in her eyes. 

“Will you teach me how to fight?” 

“Seriously, how are you going to find…a…boyf…. what.” He deadpanned as he faced her fully, eyes slightly widened. 

“Why… would I do that?” He took a step back when she stepped forward. He had lost his chance to drop the subject by not answering immediately. It meant she had time to make her case. 

“I’ve been wondering how I could be a more effective medic, and I can’t help but come to the conclusion that I need to learn how to fight! But there’s no one who will teach me!” Kotomi waved her fists, her expression so shiny that Oikawa felt his heart skip a beat. “So why don’t you teach me then? In return, I’ll treat any wounds you have. I can make medicine too!” 

“What? Make medicine?” This piqued his interest. Why would a medic need to make medicine? “Don’t they just give it to you in bottles or something?” Kotomi pulled back and shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck. 

“Well, they give us the basic supplies for first-aid, but our supplies get stolen if get hurt, so they’re rationed pretty harshly. So...I’m developing my own ointments and treatments for things like burns and small wounds.” 

“Is that allowed?” Kotomi avoided his pointed look. Oikawa found himself smirking.

“You’re a little more rebellious than I thought you’d be, Kotori-chan.” Kotomi looked down at her feet for a moment, and then looked back up at him with resolve brimming in her eyes. 

“I just don’t think it’s good to remain as I am. I want to be stronger in my own way. If that means I have to rebel, then fine.” His smile disappeared moments later. Why was he acting so friendly with her? 

“Is it for your friends?” Without a second thought, Kotomi nodded. Oikawa tasted a bitterness in his throat. But Kotomi extended her hand toward him. 

“So? Do we have a deal?” Oikawa let go of a small exhale, raising his hand. Kotomi tensed up with excitement, short-lived when the brunette smacked her hand away and turned his back on her.

“I’m not interested in anything a little brat like you has to offer.”

“What? Why?” His excitement rose at the way her voiced pitched a little higher than before. That’s what he was looking for. “But-!” 

“I have a better idea.” He turned toward her, eyes half-lidded and dark as his gait slowly turned into a sauntering stalk. Kotomi took a step back, and then another, and suddenly she found herself pressed up against the tree. His entire disposition changed in a matter of moments. 

Oikawa slammed both hands on the bark on either side of her head, a few inches taller than her. He was so close she can smell him. She could smell metallic smoke, but also strangely pine. His face was just inches from hers now. 

“What are you doing…?” She asked, never wavering from his gaze.

“I think,” Oikawa practically purred, a hand moved to procure a lock of her hair out of the neat side ponytail she wore. He sifted through every strand with his thumb. “You should consider offering me a heftier price for my services.” Kotomi’s hand lifted up from her side, and Oikawa smirked. 

_ Go ahead. Push me away and cry.  _

“I can hear your heartbeat from here.” She murmured as she placed a hand on his chest. Her eyelashes lowered as nostalgia seemed to remove her from the moment. “You don’t really know what you mean when you say that.” She brought a hand to her chin and giggled. It was such an innocent sound, he remembered that this insufferable brat was a kid. Just like him. 

No, not like him at all. He wasn’t capable of the unguarded, blissful look in her eyes. 

“You’re just like Daiki.” Oikawa was so shocked that he staggered backwards. He grit his teeth so hard that he heard the grinding in his head. In his anger, he turned his back on her again. He picked up his shirt and put it back on, his face suddenly a bright red. 

“What is  _ wrong  _ with you!?” He shouted. His teeth snapped together as he spoke. Kotomi pushed the loose hair behind her ear as she watched him in confusion. “What an unreadable girl. You’re not cute at all! You’re ugly! So damn hard to look at!” He pointed at her like he was accusing her of a crime. Kotomi only blinked and tilted her head.

“You’re just trying to scare me away, because you don’t like me. But I don’t have anywhere else to turn to. We can work something out if you want something more, but I’m offering a chance for you to take it out on me. Isn’t that good for us to keep trying to find a good enough compromise?” 

”...What do you mean?” He neutralized his expression, but his hostility had never been higher. “What makes you think I don’t like you?” 

“I’m privileged, not stupid.” She rubbed her arm and looked back towards the city “Lots of people wonder why I was lucky enough to grow up with so much when others have nothing.” Oikawa pursed his lips and crossed his arms. “But I’m trying to move forward. I can’t answer those kinds of quesitons, because I don’t know either.”

“Am I supposed to be moved because you think you get me?” 

“I don’t really care about you.” Oikawa snorted without humor. “I’m not trying to help you, and I’m not asking for a favor. I’m offering you a chance to make a deal. I want to help my friends. I don’t need to be able to understand anyone else.” She brought her hands to her chest and smiled serenely. 

“So what will you do if I refuse to train you?” 

“I’ll figure it out. It’s inevitable that I’ll be deployed, regardless.” 

Oikawa smirked. 

“Well, now that I know how strongly you feel, I feel even better about telling you to hurry up and die on the battlefield.” He turned to leave, tossing a small wave over his shoulder. Today was a victory. “You’re funny, Kotori-chan, but find someone else to help you with your little suicide mission.” Before he could get much farther, something hard hit Oikawa at the back of his head. He squeaked in pain, then turned red in indignation He simply kicked the book she chucked at his head away and kept going. And then-

**_ taptaptap TAPTAPTAPTAP- _ **

**_ WHUMPF! _ **

This time when she tackled him, he crumpled like a house of playing cards. He shouted and in consequence, he got a good taste of the dirt waiting for him below. The top popped off on his patience, and he shot up and grabbed Kotomi’s shoulder, threw her on the ground and straddled her hips. He pulled his fist back to land a nice blow to that pretty little face of hers, but his fist stopped just short when he saw her expression. 

Eyes closed, teeth gritted, her pretty features scrunched up in anticipation and smeared with dirt while she waited for the pain. Her long black hair came undone in the brief struggle, strands of night littered rosy cheeks flushed with exertion. Her hands were up in a half guard, not able to move fast enough to stop him. Oikawa stared down at her in astonishment.

What kind of idiot would volunteer to be punched in the face? She really didn’t get what it meant to be fighting for your life. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be this way-

_ “Let’s fight!” A small voice shouted at the sky. “Fight even if we all die. It’s better than never having tried at all. It’s better than just lying down and accepting that we’re weak!”  _

Why was he remembering that now, of all times? Oikawa huffed in exasperation and pulled his fist away from her face, which caused Kotomi to open her eyes and blink in astonishment. He stood up and patted away the dirt from his clothes, his back to her. 

“I’m not going to punch you.” 

“But—” 

“Not like this. I would feel like a villain.” 

“But you already act like on—” Before she could get a chance to make him question his decision again, he slammed a hand over her mouth, moving in close. 

“I’m going to teach you how to fight. I’ll make you as strong as possible, even if I have to drag you the last stretch of the way.” Oikawa removed his hand, and then pointed at her, his glare cutting her like a knife. “And then I’m going to crush you with everything I have, over and over. Even if you cry and try to stop me.” Kotomi’s eyes brightened and she smiled wide, despite his words, and nodded eagerly. 

“Yes sir!” 

“Come here tomorrow at lunch time, wearing clothes for training. I’m not fighting a girl in a skirt today, and don’t think I’ll stop hitting you if you have a wardrobe malfunction!” 

“Right! Tomorrow, then!” Kotomi ran over the tree, and then patted the spot beside her. It was so sudden that Oikawa only stared at her. 

“…What?” 

“I’m going to put ointment on your knuckles. It’s part of the deal, remember?” She pulled out the small metal jar, opening it up. Oikawa wrinkled his nose, a horrid scent wafting out from her container. “Don’t worry, it won’t smooth out your callouses. Give me your hand.” 

“What is it?” 

“It’s a mix of honey, glue, and hydrogen peroxide.” Oikawa’s face soured. Honey? That was a luxury where he was from. Mixing it with glue and disinfectant sounded like a felony. Without missing a beat, Kotomi answered the question he wasn’t asking. 

“Don’t worry, I’m plannning on changing the formula. Honey is too expensive. I want to be able to present the ointment as a cost-effective product to the Army.”Oikawa didn’t move, mostly from the shock of the way she took almost everything in stride. Kotomi sighed and stood up, walking over to grab his hand for him. She turned it over to look at his knuckles.

“Look, see? You have splinters. What’s the use in building callouses if you end up chopping your fingers off?” He jolted in shock, gasping in pain as she applied the paste with the gentlest touch, and then blew on it, waiting for it to dry. 

“C-Cut them off!?” Kotomi giggled at this, retreiving a pair of tweezers from her first aid kit. She got to work, peeling back the solution. To his shock, the splinters were coming out with the peeling of the paste.

“Calm down, they’re superficial. It’s good I stopped you on the first punch, or you would have embedded them. I might have used a heated needle at that point—hey! Don’t jump like that!” 

“Then don’t say that kind of stuff so casually!” They butt heads and glared at each other, but Kotomi was the first to break as she looked away with a snicker. 

“What are you laughing about?” Oikawa narrowed his eyes.

“I was just thinking…punching a tree to build callouses…tackling a stranger to get them to do what you want...we’re both a little silly, aren’t we?” Her expression became tender. Oikawa felt a soft thudding, and suddenly he feels warmth in the place she had splayed her hand on his chest. A ghost of a memory was reminding him of how slender and dainty her fingers were, as he stared at them grasping his hand. She pushed some more hair behind her ear, and he can’t help but notice they were pierced, but she didn’t have earrings on. 

“I’m sure Oikawa-san has plenty of people he wants to protect too.” She said. 

“Don’t compare me to you.” Kotomi was so engrossed in her work, making sure to get every splinter, that she failed to notice the way he was looking away, cheeks flushed slightly. “I’m not some kind of masochistic idiot who asks to get punched.” 

“I never  _ asked,  _ you’re the one who threw me on the ground.” 

“I’m not a smartass like you, either.” He hated her.

“You’re just an ass.” 

“I hate you.” Why was she so nice? 

“Good.” 

“I can’t wait to punch you tomorrow.” She was the worst.

“Good.” 

“...thank you….” His voice was quieter at this, and Kotomi smiled to herself, saying nothing more as she hummed a soft song as she applied ointment to his sore knuckles and then packed up for the day. After all that excitement and the promise of more tomorrow, she was too antsy to study. The maids were going to fret up a storm when they see her now. The bow of her uniform was undone, her hair was falling out of its side pony tail in sections. Her skirt, socks, and sleeves were covered in dirt.

Oikawa left first without a word, giving Kotomi only one glance over his shoulder before he continued on his way. He met Iwaizumi at the halfway point as per usual on the way back home. The spiky haired boy with sharp eyes noticed how quiet his friend was, and he can only surmise something happened again. 

“So she was there, today? Did you learn anything?”

“Iwa-chan…” Oikawa touched his chest right by his heart. “I’m exhausted, somehow.”

“What’s with you?” He shook his head and ignored Iwaizumi’s concern. He continued forward, a little curl of his lips graced his features.

“I learned how much I hate hummingbirds.”

“Hah?” 

“What…what did you say, sir…?” Very little shocked him these days, but Nijimura Shuzo almost ended up dropping his clipboard.

“I think you heard me clearly, Captain Nijimura.” 

“I still think it’s too soon. This isn’t protocol.” The young men clenched his jaw. He knew that the General was probably forced into this decision. 

“You know how dire our situation is getting, Captain. Protocol is not as important as results. The rebels are making bolder and bolder moves. We have to nip it in the bud.” General Shirogane threw the 5 files on the table and crossed his arms. “They will be good leaders, but they need experience. And that means we need to send them ahead.” 

“They’re boys! They’ve barely started training.” 

“Boys younger than them die every day with less than they have, Captain. They’re soldiers in the middle of the war. This isn’t easy for me, either. But we have never seen boys like them, before. With the right catalyst, they could be a turning point for us. We can’t afford to let talent slip away from us.” 

Nijimura clenched his fists tightly as he bit back another retort. Of course he had been watching those five closely. He couldn’t argue their talents and their growth were unprecedented. But they were  _ naïve.  _ They enjoyed their superiority and the rewards for their performances, but they were still boys who had no idea what the battlefield was going to look like. It was cruel to send them out now. But what could he do? Orders were orders. So Nijimura bowed his head. 

“Then let me oversee their missions. I will lead the way for them.” The general nodded, having expected the dutybound officer to offer anyway. 

“Of course. Make them pupils worthy of your title. And protect them.”

“Yes, General…”

* * *

** Briefing Room **

“We’re…going to be deployed?” Kise’s shock summed up everyone else’s expressions, golden eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he repeated what was just said to them. 

“I thought we weren’t due until two years?” Akashi asked politely, the most composed, but his eyes strained against expressing the distress he felt. 

“Your growth as soldiers is unprecedented, and so is the degree to which the outside is pressuring us. We need a change in pace, or things are only going to get worse. The general would like it if you became captains at the end of your training, which means you need to be ahead of your comrades. You still have time, another month. From now on, I’ll be training the five of you directly, to teach you everything you know.” 

“This is good, right? I mean, we’re strong.” Aomine insisted. “Maybe we can change something. Maybe we’ll get to go  _ home.”  _ To  _ her.  _ An image of the dark-haired girl appeared in his mind, but Aomine refrained from reaching into his pocket to touch the charm that never left his person.

“Aomine is right. I think we could make a difference, Captain, but we’re still missing something.” Akashi nodded as he took a deep breath. He couldn’t lose his composure, lest everyone do the same. He had also been watching everyone’s movements. They were stronger than he anticipated, especially during the team exercises. There was just one person missing. “We’re incomplete.” 

“Incomplete…?” Midorima questioned his friend.  _ He couldn’t be talking about... _

“We are strongly offensive, this is true. Kise and Aomine seem to favor close distance fighting. Midorima is long-distance, while Atsushi and I are flexible, depending on the situation. But we need a curveball. A line of defense that will remove enemies from our path before we even see them. We will advance quicker, that way.” Nijimura seemed to understand what he meant, raising a brow. 

“You want Kuroko Tetsuya.” The other four looked quite surprised with this. 

“Tetsu?” Aomine paled. Tetsu being a captain...?

“Kuroko consistently scores low on all his exercises. The only reason he isn’t at the bottom is because so many people fail to complete the exercises.” Midorima clearly doubted Akashi’s decision. Even in the face of this dissent, Akashi’s expression remained certain.

“He scores low on all but one category, isn’t that right, Captain?” 

“Stealth.” Nijimura confirmed, wondering what in the world Akashi Seijurou was thinking. His friends were impressive, but the heir was in a league of his own. “You want him to be an assassin.” 

“K-kurokocchi as an assassin…?” Kise scrunched up his nose, as if the idea had a bad odor. “He could never…” 

“He will. Because we all must fight. We’ll have to  _ kill.”  _ The room seemed to become a few degrees colder. No amount of training could prepare them for that part of war. The first kill would likely be quick, and they wouldn’t have time to process. But the anticipation was just as scary. “To protect our home. To protect our families.” Akashi turned to Nijimura, his eyes sharpened with a certainty that bolstered his words. 

“Captain, I promise you. Kuroko Tetsuya has talents that not even we can fathom. He will be every bit as important as everyone else here. Please consider adding him to the team.” A chill ran down Nijimura’s spine at the commanding tone beneath Akashi’s polite request. 

_ This kid… _ Akashi Seijurou truly was a force to be reckoned with. He would surely become a Captain very young…and maybe a lot more before these next three years were up. 

“I’ll talk it over with the general. I see what you’re talking about, but you should discuss this with Kuroko-kun, as well.” Nijimura saluted the trainees, walking out quickly and with purpose. It left the rest of them to turn on their red-headed friend.

“Akashichhi, why would you push for Kurokocchi to join us on the field? He can’t fight!” Kise protested.

“Don’t underestimate him, Kise.” Aomine growled a little, but he wasn’t happy with the suggestion, either. “Tetsu works hard.” 

“He’s small like Sa-chin and Koto-chin.” Murasakibara drawled. “He should stay in the rear.” 

“Kuroko’s talents lie in places ours do not,” Akashi explained. “You’ll see what I mean, soon enough. Besides, we all made the promise to them, didn’t we? That we’d watch out for each other, and that we’d return home to their side.” Akashi gripped the charm in his hand tight,, rubbing the protection stitching with his thumb in circles. “Kuroko should be with us for this.”

After a moment of quiet deliberation, the rest of them nodded. 

“Right. We do this together.” Aomine confirmed. Akashi’s shoulders fell back to neutral, seeming relieved that he had managed to calm everyone down. He had to be strong. He had to be calm. They were counting on him.  _ She  _ was counting on him. He told her that all of them would surely return to her side, and he wasn’t going to break his promise to her. He wouldn’t be able to bear coming home without one of them. 

_ He’d rather die.  _ Akashi failed to notice the expression he’s making. But Midorima did, and the look on Akashi’s face was that of a man whose resolve was sharp enough to kill. 

“Dead.” Oikawa announced as he threw the young girl over his shoulder with relative ease, despite her pounding on his back and her legs kicking. “From here I could kill you in several different ways.” He jumped a little, smirking at her squeak in fear as his shoulder threatened to knock the wind out of her. 

“I could body slam you and step on your throat. I could put you in a supplex and break your neck, if you’re lucky. Or, I could throw you on the ground, pull your pants down and have my way with you before I cut your throat, all while you’re too stunned to stop me.” He dropped her to the ground, and Kotomi met the ground for the umpteenth time today with a loud thud and a cry of pain. 

“That’s too frightening of an image!” She cried from the ground. 

“That’s reality.” 

“How would you know!?”

“I’ll tell you when you’re older.” Kotomi glared up Oikawa.  _ We’re around the same age, jerk.  _ She didn’t want to say that outloud. He was going to hit her harder, and as much as she liked being able to learnt to fight, she wasn’t a glutton for punishment. No matter what Oikawa thought. 

Slowly, but surely, she picked herself up, not even bothering to wipe off the dirt on her cheek, her pants, or her t-shirt. She gave up after the third mouthful of soil. Oikawa seemed pretty pleased with himself as he took his stance again. She glared at him. 

“You’re enjoying yourself a quite a bit someone who was so hesitant, yesterday.” She said suspiciously. “You better be actually teaching me, instead of  _ just  _ beating me up.” 

“What? Come on, I’m not a guy who goes back on my word.”

“I find that hard to believe.” He ignored her dry comment. 

“No, you’re just far too easy a target for me to enjoy myself, Kotori-chan. Come on, now, I don’t have the freetime to wait for you to catch up. Your enemy won’t wait for your to get used to it.” He smirked and took his fighting stance again. “Now come at me, find out how to make your current self stronger than the enemy.” 

Kotomi felt frustration flare up in her chest. What did that even mean!? Kotomi took a deep breath and ran at him again, bracing herself for him to just throw her to the ground, again. 

“Oya, oya, oya. What’s this?” Kotomi stopped and almost fell over again when she looked to see the newcomers, wondering if it was the spikey haired boy who she saw with Oikawa again. 

“Hey, hey hey! You guys look like you’re having fun! Who’s this, Oikawa?” More spikey haired boys…Kotomi wiped away the dirt from under her nose as two more young boys approached her, taller than Oikawa and stockier than the brunette’s lithe frame. They had more muscle built onto sunkissed arms, torsos and legs. 

“Where the hell did you guys come from?” Oikawa narrowed his eyes suspiciously, as if he already had an inkling. Only one person really knew he was been coming here almost every day for the last month.

“Iwaizumi-san said you always go this tree to wait for some hummingbird you won’t shut up about.” The darker haired boy ran his fingers through a mess of inky black, his dark, half-lidded eyes regarding Kotomi with a look that made her squirm. He looked like a dirty old man checking out a young girl the way he was positioned, with his hand under his chin while his head tilted up and down. 

“Turns out it was something more interesting than some silly old bird…” He smirked cattishly, and Kotomi thought: 

_ Tetsuya would tell me to avoid him on the streets.  _

“Iwa-chan, you traitor! I told you not to tell anyone about this!” Oikawa turned to look at her after yelling at his absent friend and glared. “And I don’t start thinking that I’ve been waiting here for you!” 

“I didn’t.” Her flat response was not convincing. 

“A ‘hummingbird,’ huh…? That’s fitting.” The dark haired taller boy approached her, getting in her face. He was quite handsome, and Kotomi found herself flushing under scrutinizing gaze. He was like an alley cat surveying its prey. “I can see why Gorilla would be coming here so often.”

“Gorilla…?”

“Don’t give her weird ideas! Don’t call me that in front of her!” Oikawa snapped. 

“My name’s Kuroo, little bird. What’s your name?”

“Fujisaki Kotomi.”  _ Little bird...? _

“Oh! So formal. I’m Kuroo Tetsurou, then.” 

“I’m Bokuto Koutarou!” The silver haired boy cried. He seemed to have lost patience for being ignored.

“Don’t ignore me!” Oikawa was losing his patience too. 

“Hey, hey hey!” The two-toned silver-haired boy with glowing golden eyes, a darker shade that glowed with much more intensity than Kise’s, got in her face as well.  _ Do these two know what personal space is?  _ His proximity was forcing her to lean away so that their noses weren’t almost touching. “What’s a tiny little thing like you doing with this Gorilla?” 

“Like I said, don’t call me that!” 

“He’s helping me train to be stronger.” Kuroo’s eyes widened and his lips pursed. His eyes scanned her again and Kotomi almost asked him to stop. 

“You’re in the military?” He finally stopped staring at her strangely, but the unnerving pressure about him wouldn’t go away. 

“I’m a medic. My friends are going to be sent out to the border, and I want to be there to support them.” The two-toned, silvery haired boy named Bokuto gasped and looked teary eyed.

“So moving!” He cried and placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair much to Kotomi’s annoyance. She smacked his hand away and pouted as the boy shrunk away. That gesture wasn’t allowed for strangers.

“What a good little bird, protecting her nest.” The dark haired named Kuroo boy purred as he nodded. “But…you seem like you’re getting the snot kicked out of you.” He glanced at Oikawa, who looked on in innocence. 

“She’s the one who asked.” Was all he offered.

“You really are a nasty person.” Kuroo snickered. Kotomi’s shoulders slumped, as she imagined that she looked rather pathetic. 

“She started it! You should have seen her yesterday, she was being so unladylike!” 

“What did she do?” Kuroo’s curiosity was piqued, and though the conversation was still at her expense, Kotomi was glad he stopped staring at her so intensely.

“I threw a book at him and tackled him…” Kotomi said this looking away, a little embarrassed. She had gotten frustrated that her plans hadn’t been working out, so she acted rashly. Bokuto and Kuroo’s mouths fell open they looked to fidgeting girl. Kuroo was the first to break, and grabbed his stomach as a cackle rocked his body. 

“You got tackled by  _ her!?”  _ Both Oikawa and Kotomi puffed up in indignance.

“She caught me off guard, and she’s heavier than she looks!” The comment made Kotomi gasp, cupping her cheeks in excitement. 

“Does that mean I’m muscly?”  _ Atsushi always said that I’m so light! Maybe I’ve gained some weight? _

“It means you eat too much! How would a little princess like you get any muscle?” With her hopes dashed against the stone, Kotomi went to stomp on Oikawa’s foot, but he dodged with ease and shot her a glare.

“Oikawa, you can’t say that to a girl!” Bokuto chided.

“But you said I’m heavy. No one has ever said that to me before.” Kotomi’s eyes shined eagerly. “That means either you’re weak, or  _ I’ve  _ gained weight!” Kuroo’s laughs only escalated in volume while Oikawa looked like a vein popped in his head. 

“Oya! She’s so cheeky, I like it!” Kuroo announced as he wipes a tear from his eye.

“More like one-track minded…” Oikawa crossed his arms, trying to figure out how to get another jab in to shut all three of them up. 

“Alright! I’ve decided!” Bokuto suddenly announced and wrapped a strong forearm around Kotomi’s shoulders as he threw a fist in the air. 

“I’m gonna help you train!” Kotomi’s eyes lit up, and she grabbed his forearm, squeezing it. It was much harder than Oikawa’s, and she could feel the sinews of his muscles pushing against the firmness of his skin. And he wasn’t much older than her. 

“Thank you, Bokuto-san!” Bokuto shined so brightly that Kotomi had to pull away to sheer her eyes. He puffed his chest out, and Kotomi thought he resembled an owl for a moment. 

“Call me Bokuto-senpai!” 

“Bokuto-senpai, you’re wonderful!” She smiled and clapped her hands. But it looked more like a mother humoring her child after completing a small task like flushing the toilet or brushing his teeth properly.

“Hold on, why does he get honorifics and I don’t?” Oikawa protested, but Bokuto and Kotomi were lost in their own world. But to think that she was capable of smiling like  _ that.  _ It annoyed Oikawa for a number of reasons. 

“Kotori-chan! That’s way too long, can I call you Koto-chan?” Bokuto suddenly asked.

“Yes, if you would like.” 

“You can give me a nickname, too!” 

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly…” Kuroo came around behind her, and placed two hands respectfully on her waist, tugging her slightly to stand in front of him. 

“I guess I’ll help out, too. I am a gentleman, after all.” Kotomi glanced over her shoulder, still wary. Bokuto easily reminded her of Aomine and Kise, so it was easy for her to get along with him. But this person made her anxious. But if he was aware that he made her nervous, he wasn’t showing it. “I saw you earlier, you’ll never take Gorilla-san out the way you just run at him. Oikawa—” 

“Now you’re acknowledging me!?” The brunette raged. Kuroo turned her hips so that she had to turn her head to look at him. Her stance positioned her so that she was standing out to the side, but her front-facing foot was pointed toward Oikawa. He leaned over to her ear, and a shiver ran up her spine as she swallowed the lump in her throat. He smelled like something like cinnamon, but also like the forest. 

“When you run at him again, try to get behind him and get lower. Take out his knees. Everyone’s weak there.” Kotomi shut her eyes as the messy whorls of his hair tickled her temple, but she nodded. 

“Okay.” 

“Good girl…” He slowly pulled away, crossing his arms while Bokuto placed his chin on Kuroo’s shoulder, looking curious. 

“What did ya tell her?” 

“You’ll see.” Kotomi took a deep breath, calming her thudding heart as she opened up her eyes, cornflower blue seeming to reflect Oikawa in its hues. Oikawa smirked a little.

“That’s a new look. I don’t know if I like it.” All the more satisfying to crush her. 

Without warning, Kotomi seemingly lunged forward and ran at Oikawa as per usual. Oikawa rolled his eyes and simply prepared to grab her again, but as the distance closed in between them, Kotomi suddenly did a forward roll just half a foot away, configuring herself so that she came upright on her haunches again before throwing herself low, just as Kuroo instructed. 

“Wha—” Oikawa’s legs crumpled beneath him as she threw all her weight at him, and with an ungraceful ‘whumpf!’ they were both on the ground. Kotomi landed on Oikawa’s torso, her legs splayed out on either side of him in. Her fingers spread across the middle of his chest. Bokuto whistled while Kuroo nodded in approval. 

“What a good pupil I’ve found.”

“Good job, Koto-chan!” Bokuto cheered while Oikawa groaned softly, looking up at Kotomi and flushing, his chocolatey brown eyes stared up in embarrassment as Kotomi looked down at him. Her side pony tail was completely undone and hanging in loose strands around her face, framing flushed cheeks as she panted, eyes wild with astonishment and excitement.

“I…I did it!” She looks up at Kuroo, grinning so hard that her nose crinkled at the bridge. Kuroo’s eyes widened and his eyes suddenly avoided her gaze. But Kotomi was too high on adrenaline to question it. Oikawa shook his head with pink cheeks. 

“Not so…fast!” He grabbed her by the knees and threw her back. Her shriek echoed in the field as she reeled back and hit her head on the ground again. Oikawa stood up and pushed her knees forward more, forcing her into an extremely uncomfortable position. Her spine protested as Oikawa pushed her legs towards her head. 

“Ow, ow, ow!” She cried, tapping to signal that she gave in.

“That’s another lesson! Don’t let your guard down! Here’s your punishment! Hahahahaha!” Oikawa laughed boisterously while Kuroo watched with bland disdain and Bokuto threw his fists in the air. 

“Scummy gorilla…” The cat-like man muttered.

“Oiksya! You don’t have to go that far!” Oikawa let go of Kotomi’s legs to yell at the two behind him. 

“No one asked you!” Kuroo turned to look at Bokuto, eyes shining with some kind of anticipatory joy. 

“Bro, did you just combine ‘Oikawa’ and my ‘oya’?” Bokuto’s eyes shined similarly as he nodded, holding up a hand. Kuroo clasped their hands together as the two shared some silent understanding. 

“You know it, bro.” 

“Bro…” 

“You guys have selective hearing, or something!?” Kotomi sat up and rubbed her aching back, sighing softly. She had a breakthrough today, and that was good enough for her. She watched the three of them interact and felt an aching in her chest, despite her desire to laugh. 

_ Nostalgic…that’s what this sweet pain, is.  _ Slowly, Kotomi stood up and tucked her hair behind her ear. 

“Thank you three…” The young men turned to look at her as she placed her hands behind her back and smiled at them. “Thank you for your teachings and your company. I really enjoyed it.” 

“Ah, well…” Kuroo rubbed the back of his head, seeming genuinely bashful. He wasn’t used to such sincerity. 

“We’ll keep coming by to teach you! This Gorilla seems like he can’t train you, since you learned from Kuroo so fast!” Bokuto offered, which Kuroo seemed to flinch at. 

“Hey! I’m training her just fine!” Oikawa pointed at her accusingly. “Don’t think you can just replace me!  _ I’m  _ the one who’s going to beat you up!” 

“That’s an awful thing to say!” Bokuto cried.

“Iwaizumi is right, you’re a nasty guy…” Kuroo added. But Kotomi laughed quietly. 

“Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten…” Kotomi pointed right back at him, cornflower blue regarded him with a determined gaze with a glint of mischief. “You’re my final test, I’ll know I’ve reached the top when I’ve beat you!” Oikawa blanched at her, cheeks reddening again. 

“Ooohhhh! I’m all fired up! Hey, hey, hey! Spar with me, next!” Bokuto hopped up and down. 

“Okay!” As the two took their stances, Kuroo grabbed Oikawa by the shoulder with a dark expression. He glanced at Kotomi and Bokuto to make sure they were busy enough to miss this interaction. 

“We actually came here to stop you today.” Oikawa’s expression fell into an undreadable one. 

“We’ll talk later.” Kuroo raised an eyebrow, which made Oikawa sigh. ”Just trust me. I’m not doing this just because I’m bored or anything.” 

“I know. I’m just sick of you taking on shit by yourself.” Kuroo answered as he released Oikawa’s shoulder. “I’ll play along, though.” 

“Kuroo...” 

“If you screw up, Iwaizumi will kick my ass, too.” Kuroo said with a smirk before he approached Kotomi again. “I’ll teach you how to wipe the floor with Bokuto and the Gorilla here, little bird~ Then I’ll be your final test.”

“Yes, thank you!” Kuroo didn’t falter at the sight of Kotomi’s excitement this time. 

Oikawa couldn’t help but scoff, but was lacking the vitriol he first felt burn his throat when he spoke with Kotomi before; no matter how much he willed it to appear, his milky brown eyes followed Kotomi into her fighting stance again. Bokuto bounced on his feet with excitement. 

_ “You’re a hard worker…we’re similar in that way, at least…”  _ Her words echoed in his mind and he wondered just why he was so open with helping someone like her in the first place. 

_ Whoever her precious people are…they’ve really got a piece of work on their hands. _

* * *

** CItadel Army Training Grounds **

“Shit!” Aomine groans in pain as he was kicked in the stomach so hard he flew back, landing on his side. Kise followed suit shortly, having been punched in the gut so hard the blonde was holding his stomach, retching as he felt his dinner threatening to make a reappearance. 

“It’s not good enough to be fast! Think!” Nijimura shouted, pointing his gun at Aomine and his knife at Kise. “The enemy won’t overlook this. You’re both dead.” He easily sidestepped a lunging Murasakibara, who was covered in dirt from being knocked back so much.

“Ugh, so annoying…” The purple haired teen groaned, but his eyes were fierce.

“I’ll be less annoying when you’re dead. It’s not good enough to be big, either.” He turned to face Midorima, whose glasses had been shattered again. He was sitting on the floor, unable to see two feet in front of him. Nijimura approached Midorima. 

“Stand up.” The green-haired boy hesitated, struggled to his feet, and put up a pretty impressive guard, but Nijimura faked a right hook and uses his left,striking the boy in the head. Midorima stumbled backwards and crashed to the floor as hard as the others. 

“Even if you specialize in long-distance, the battlefield is unpredictable and doesn’t care what your specialty is! And Kuroko!” He turned to face the bluenette, who deflates upon his discovery. 

“You’re hesitating!” Nijimura grabbed the collar of the young boy, pulled him off the ground slightly and shook him menacingly. “There’s no hesitating! You come at me like you’re going to kill me!” He dropped a white-faced Kuroko to the ground, facing the lot of them as the baby blue-haired boy stood on shaky knees, terrified. 

“This is insane…I can’t handle this.” Murasakibara whined, wiping away some sweat from his forehead. 

“We have to,” Akashi said, also covered in scratches and marks sure to become bruises later. “Or we won’t survive out there.” 

“Akashi’s right. I’m being cruel because it’s a cruel world out there. Don’t hesitate, or you die. Think, or you die. Kill, or you  _ die.  _ That’s how the world works out there, so get used to it. Now! Come at me again!” 

“Right!” They all shouted, rushing Nijumura all at once. 

* * *

** The Tree **

Kotomi wasn’t too sure when it was that she dozed off. When she was aware of her surroundings again, she was laying in the grass, and the sun was setting in the horizon. She glanced to either side of her, Kuroo sprawled out on his side, one hand rested under his head and the other laid in front of him. His fingers were tangled in his own messy bedhead, surprisingly long lashes casted shadows on high cheekbones. Bokuto was on his back in starfish position, mouth wide open and drool sliding down his chin. Down by her feet was Oikawa; his slumbering visage faced her, and his arms were tucked carefully under his head. 

The wind ruffled warm brown hair, and his chest rose and fell with his breathing, eyes shut serenely. She smiled a little, admiring his long lashes and his handsome features. 

“He’s much cuter when he’s not moving his mouth.” She sighed while she poked his cheek. 

“I’ll say.” Kotomi looked up in surprise at the new voice, spotting the original spikey haired boy she first saw with Oikawa. He wore the same outfit he had been wearing before, hands tucked into his sweatshirt pockets as he looked down at her. 

“You’re the hummingbird?” Kotomi’s shoulders relaxed a little, but not completely. After Oikawa’s rocky first impression, Kotomi was wary of him. He hadn’t really interacted with her on that day, so she didn’t know anything about them except for the fact that he seemed pretty rough with Oikawa. 

“You must be Iwa-chan.” 

“Only friends call me that. The name’s Iwaizumi. I just came to get these idiots.” His eyes looked her up and down, taking in the sweat, dirt, and the slightest traces of blood on her person, expression unreadable. 

“Sorry, they must have been pretty annoying.” 

“Oh, no. It’s fine. I asked them to spar with me.” Kotomi shook her head and stood up slowly, ignoring the ache of her arms and legs as they protested to stay on the ground. 

“I see. Any particular reason for that?” 

“Simple. I want to be a medic who can protect and heal on the battlefield.” Iwaizumi raised a brow. 

“Don’t they have training for that?”

“Not really, they don’t expect you to engage in combat, just to get the injured out of the way. They’re pretty expendable, I guess.” 

“Maybe becuase you’d have to be suicidal to rush onto a battlefield without knowing how to fight.” Kotomi exhaled in what was supposed to be a laugh. 

“I suppose.” 

“So why not just stay home?” A breeze rushed through the both of them. 

“Because…” Iwaizumi felt a chill up his spine as Kotomi’s lips turned up slightly, and she stared past him, into the distance at the setting sun. Iwaizumi couldn’t help but notice the way the way the setting sun seemed to cast an eerie shadow over her lovely visage. 

“I feel like I won’t ever be able to die in peace, knowing I didn’t give my life my all.” Iwaizumi realized with a chill that the expression she made was somehow very familiar to him. There was a long pause between the both of them, saved when Oikawa suddenly stirred, sitting up. He rubbed an eye and looked up at his friend, groaning.

“Geh…it’s Iwa-chan, what an ugly sight to wake up to…” Iwaizumi almost felt a vein pop in response to Oikawa’s sleepy jab, though he’s grateful that he had an out. 

“You want to sleep forever? Get up. You two. Sawamura’s mad.” He kicked both of the other boys in the head, with Kuroo waking with a long, languid stretch and Bokuto popping up with a soft ‘hoot’ noise that made Kotomi cover her mouth. 

_ Like a cat and an owl…  _

“Well then, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then, Kotori-chan.” Oikawa stood up with a stretch and a yawn, offering her a tranquil smile. Iwaizumi shot Kuroo a glare, but the taller boy didn’t respond.

“Yes. It was nice to meet you, Bokuto-san, Kuroo-san.” Kotomi bowed politely to them. The two were too tired to properly greet her, merely tossing a small wave and mumbling something like ‘see you tomorrow.’ She watched them as they walked in the direction opposite to her. It wasn’t as if people didn’t live outside the main city, but to do so was very rare. Did they all live together?

“Where do you guys live?” They all paused when she asked them. Kotomi didn’t pay any mind to it.  _ Visiting friends at their homes. I’ve never done that before.  _ She thought with excitement. “If you guys want, I could-” 

“Don’t even think about following us.” Oikawa’s cold tone chilled Kotomi’s blood as he turned back to look at her. And suddenly, all four of them sent the same look her way, as if challenging her to disagree. Brown, black, and golden eyes were suddenly knives that cut into her very core. Were they really the same age as her…?

_ These people…could be a threat.  _ Her gut instinct was warning her to leave it at this, and she heeded that advice. Kotomi swallowed hard and offered a small nod, turning to leave without another word. When Oikawa was teasing her, insulting her, trying to provoke her, it didn’t evoke the same fear that she felt just now. Not only did it sting a little, but it made her wonder where there was such a disparity with the way he acted when they were ‘sparring’ and the instance of real danger she felt just now.

_ It was as if…he’s been playing a game with me until now. I wasn’t a threat. If they really wanted to…. _

__ “They could kill you.” She said outloud. Kotomi realized the cold of dusk hit her skin, and she looked up at the sky. The land before turned a quiet blue, and the lights of the city started to light her way home. The walk home suddenly felt much longer than before , but Kotomi sped up her walk back, as if those long gone glares would overwhelm her if she tried to steal a glance over her shoulder.

There was a chance that they were dangerous people. Should she ask Momoi what to do? No, it was obvious that Momoi would tell her to stay away from them. And then nothing would change. They were kids just like her, no matter how strange. 

So...wasn’t it okay to just ignore this bad feeling in her gut?

* * *

** 1 Month Later **

“Are you lot ready? We’re about to enter Warzone 13.” Nijimura said as he halted the advance of the men, his voice being broadcasted to the squadron of 150 men via earpieces created by the technology division. In the center stood the newest trainees. They were in the safest position. This was a learning experience, after all. 

“Remember, be alert. There is no safe zone in this area. Our intel is aware of 139 men in this sector alone. They have the vantage point here.” Akashi glanced at his friends. Kise and Kuroko were visibly trembling, even with the layers of the heavy clothing and bulletproof vest that cloaked their forms. 

“Be calm,” He assured them, eyes also traveling to Midorima, who was sweating already. Aomine seemed tense, but focused. Murasakibara seemed unfettered, which was a relief. 

“We trained.” He assured them.

“Kotomicchi…” Kise clutched the tiny gold pouch close to his chest, bringing it to his lips and closing his eyes as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. 

“Eyes open, Kise!” Midorima hissed as they began to advance into the ruins of what was once a city. It was just 5 miles away, a city overrun by foreign invaders. Their mission was to take this place and make it yet another base to operate out of. Armored trucks drove behind them, carrying supplies, medics, and tech. 

“Stay alert.” Akashi echoed Nijimura, hands tightening on the automatic rifle every soldier was given.

“Akashi-kun…” Kuroko’s impassive tone was shaky. “I think I’m going to be sick.” Akashi felt a pang of sympathy. He asked for Kuroko to come, and the bluenette accepted, but they were all in over their heads. Just the anticipation alone was about to kill 3 of them. 

“Kuro-“ Before he could even begin to soothe his frayed nerves, a shout that echoed in the air made Akashi’s heart stop.

“Enemy sighted! Open fire!” As gunshots started ringing through the air, the five friends shared the same exact expression of horror. Even Akashi, only for a moment, felt his heart leap into his throat. 

_ “Sei-kun!”  _ He looked behind him, and he felt his eyes sting as he saw Kotomi, Momoi, and a woman with long, flowing red hair similar to his own with a hand on the girls’ shoulders. Kotomi extended a hand, and the woman’s voice called for him as well. 

_ “Seijuro...”  _

_ I’ll bring everyone home.  _ With great pain, Akashi turned away from them and shouted to his family, eyes widened. One eye almost seems to reflect the color of the grenade explosion that obscured their vision with smoke and ash, and their ears with screams and tinnitus. 

“ _ We’re all going to survive.”  _ He assured them once more, his voice steady. “Because we have to go home!” __

* * *

** Omake:  **

“K-Kotomi-chan! Your eye!” Kotomi gaped as Riko showed her the black eye that marred her face in a mirror. 

“T-That explains why my face hurt this morning…”  _ Thank god I left before anyone saw me... _ Alex was fumbling with a compact of makeup, looking ready to murder. 

“Who hits a girl like this? Who the hell is so  _ shitty?”  _ Kotomi looked away, disdain on her features. 

“A really scummy guy I know. He’s merciless.” Riko and Alex shared a frightened look. 

_ Was this cute girl secretly a delinquent? _

_ “Hachoo!”  _ Oikawa sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve, while Iwaizumi leaned away. 

“If you get sick, I’ll kill you.” 

“Hey!”


	4. Chapter 4: Growing Pains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes, and nothing remains the same, no matter how much she tried to pretended not to notice. 
> 
> And finally, the day she wished for arrives. 
> 
> Things can finally return to normal...right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Oh my god, almost 13,000 words. That’s wild. But this chapter needed a rewrite. I’m so glad you guys follow and favorite, but how did you put up with all the mistakes I made!? I’m so impressed and touched and excited to share this newer version with you. I really hope you enjoy reading this newer version as much as I did writing it!   
> Love ya!  
> Silky   
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.

“You’re getting better, little bird.” Kotomi looked up from her position on the ground, not seeming convinced. It has been a whole month since she started training with the mystery boys, and while she was gaining muscle, she still had absolutely no battle sense. 

“You’re still wiping the floor with me.” She shot at him, rolling onto her stomach so she could pick herself up.

“But of course,” Oikawa shrugged dramatically with a sardonic chuckle. “Don’t think you can catch up with me so easily, since you’ve never fought a day in your life.” 

He looked back revel in Kotomi’s frustrated expression, but instead he found her looking towards the city, her expression empty. In the last month he was training with her, he occasionally caught expressions like that. It was a bit strange to see her so quiet, since other days it seemed like she never stopped thinking, and she always had a retort to throw back at him. 

“Kotomi-chan?” The dark-haired teen looked back at him as if she was jolted back to reality.

“No more ‘little bird’ or ‘Kotori-chan’? [ 1 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&hid=wEuy5cVxQ0CpQYpsGEIzzw.0&wopisrc=https://wopi.onedrive.com/wopi/files/CD159322515E6F5A!1453&wdorigin=OFFICECOM-WEB.START.MRU&wdo=2&wde=docx&sc=host=&qt=#footnote1) ” Oikawa blinked. He covered it up by scoffing and crossing his arms. 

“You were off daydreaming, I had to get your attention.” 

“Right, sorry. It’s just…no, it’s nothing.” Kotomi looked up at him and smiled gently, hopping to her feet. 

“Let’s keep going!” Oikawa found himself smiling as well, as he took his stance again. When she threw a punch at him, he observed the muscle on her arms. Her knuckles were already rough. It was more progress in a month than expected. Did she practice by herself, too?

“Keep your eyes on me, Oikawa-san!” 

Her expression was wild, her bright blue eyes shined like a kid who was just about to overtake the fastest kid in the race, as she feinted a right hook and switched to a roundhouse at the last second; and even though he caught both, Kotomi’s expression never dampened. 

He was so impressed by her progress. And that smile. It managed to distract him enough that her elbow collided with his face. It was enough to make Oikawa stumble backwards in surprise. Kotomi gasped, and threw her arms into the air, whooping so loudly that it echoed. 

“Yes!” Kotomi’s cry of joy had Oikawa grinning alongside with her, even though his jaw ached with the promise of a new bruise. 

“I got you! Just you wait, Oikawa-san! Soon I’ll have you begging for mercy!” She laughed in a way that made Oikawa think that maybe she was spending too much time with Kuroo and Bokuto. 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, brat,” he breathed. They locked eyes and zeroed in on each other. “You’re worlds away from me.” Appreciation time was over. He didn’t like how smug she looked. 

But would take this over that empty expression any day. 

* * *

** A Few Days Later **

“Bokuto-san, please hold still.” Kotomi scolded, huffing and blowing a piece of hair out of face. She sat with Bokuto underneath the tree, shielded from the glaring sun. Kuroo and Oikawa stood nearby, refreshing themselves with the cold tea Kotomi brought with her today. 

“But it hurts!” Bokuto whined and tried to escape the pain-soaked cotton ball Kotomi was trying to put on his cut. Since he and Kuroo often came by to help train Kotomi too, she decided it was only fair to extend her first aid to them as well. 

“I guarantee an infection will hurt a lot worse than this. How did you even get like this, anyway?” Bokuto looked away, huffing angrily. 

“Iwaizumi is tough bastard.” Kotomi’s eyes sparked with interest and she leaned in, head tilted in intrigue. She was just getting to know Bokuto, but she knew he had a lot of pride for his combat ability. For him to openly admit he got destroyed meant there was absolutely no contest.

“Do you think he’d be willing to teach me too?” She asked. A pair of tanned, strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Kotomi blushed slightly as she looked at Kuroo, but he quickly rested his chin on top of her head while Bokuto complained about her lack of bedside manner.

“You’ve already got these three men throwing themselves at you every day and you want more? You’re so greedy, little bird.” Both Kotomi and Bokuto’s faces turned bright red at the suggestive way he said it, and Kotomi covered her face while Bokuto protested a touch too loudly. 

“Don’t say things like that, Kuroo! You’ll corrupt her!” He practically shrieked. Kotomi covered her ears now. While the two boys bickered with each other, Kotomi felt the prick of irritation coming from nearby. 

_ What now?  _ She asked no one in her head as she spotted Oikawa watching the exchange while biting his thumb nail.  _ Why is he so annoyed? _

_ When did they get so close?  _ Oikawa watched their interaction with slightly narrowed eyes. When he noticed Kotomi was watching, he huffed and turned his head away. Kotomi shrugged, and decided to break the cat and owl fight up before they gave each other more injuries. 

“I know what he means, Bokuto-san.” Kotomi said plainly. “I’m your age.” 

“Hah!?” Bokuto shrieked even louder. Kuroo clicked his tongue and snapped at his friend. 

“Aaahh, you’re too loud, Bo!” Oikawa brought his finger to his mouth, moving before he even realized what he was doing. The next thing he knew, he tasted copper.

“Kotori-chan! Look, I’m cut too!”

“Uwah!” Kotomi almost fell backwards when Oikawa practically threw himself at her girl and presented his new wound. The blood ran down his finger and bottom lip. 

“Okay, hold on…” Kotomi pulled out a needle and thread with a dead expression, which sent a jolt of fear down his spine. 

“W-Why do you need that!?” 

“Just trust the process.” She advanced on him as a smile turned her lips upward, but didn’t reach her eyes. Oikawa turned 3 shades paler.

“Get away from me! Never mind, I’m okay!”

“Ehh, but you’re cute like this, Oikawa-kun!” Bokuto and Kuroo shared a knowing expression while Oikawa fled from a laughing Kotomi.

“He definitely got jealous, just now. How immature,” Kuroo scoffed. Bokuto crossed his arms. 

“Hmph! He should grow up!” 

”...” 

“...”

“When did she start calling him by ‘-kun?’” 

“Not fair, me too!” The two got up and started chasing Kotomi. No more training got done that day; when they didn’t return on time, Iwaizumi arrived to the tree to find the four of them collapsed up against each other. Kotomi and Oikawa were keeping each other propped up, Oikawa’s head resting on top of her head which laid on his shoulder. Bokuto leaned on Kotomi, while, Kuroo leaned on the former, his arms crossed and head drooped. 

Iwaizumi sighed and approached them, his eyes fixated on Kotomi. Slowly, he reached into the inside of his jacket and produced a pocket knife. He inched closer with the knife drawn, the point making contact with Kotomi’s neck. She didn’t stir even a little. This complicated partnership could be solved with one twitch of his wrist, just one-

Suddenly, Oikawa shifted, adjusting his position on Kotomi’s head as he groaned in his sleep. Kotomi nuzzled him and giggled, a serene smile relaxing her expression further. Iwaizumi stepped back and dropped the knife, which woke up Bokuto. 

“Oya...? Iwaizumi...” Like a line of dominos, the others quickly woke up too, including Kotomi. 

“You guys are late.” He growled, stepping on the knife and pushing it behind his other foot. 

“Ack, Iwa-chan, you’re like a mom...” A drowsy Oikawa mumbled, rubbing his eye. Kotomi stood up slowly but she perked up when she noticed Iwaizumi. He flinched when she approached him.

“Iwaizumi-san, when is the next time you have a day free? Do you think you could help me with something?” As Kotomi made her pitch, Iwaizumi pretended to adjust his boot, and picked up his knife. Mindlessly, he slid his finger against the sharp edge of the blade, not caring if it cut him. Kotomi was so wrapped up in her attempt at persuasion, she didn’t notice the way his expression darkened with guilt when he stared at the tiniest little red dot on her neck.

* * *

** One Week Later **

“Thank you for coming, Iwaizumi-san.” Kotomi was a little tense around the dark-haired friend of Oikawa’s, as he was the coldest of them.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Iwaizumi sounded skeptical, with good reason. They were the same age, but he was bulkier and taller than her. While she didn’t seem nearly as fragile as she used to be, he could still snap her in two. 

“Yes. Please don’t go easy on me. I won’t ask you to stop.” Kotomi tried not to falter under his hard gaze, but she admitted internally that she was glad that it was Oikawa she met under the tree. There was no way she would have survived throwing a book at Iwaizumi. 

“Did you bring what I asked you to?” Kotomi nodded and held out a small wooden crate filled with small mason jars filled with a pink liquid, pink flowers suspended inside them. 

“Here. It’s a month’s supply of coneflower tea. It’s good for the immune system and infection. You can drink it, or apply it when you’re cleaning wounds. But it’s not a substitute for serious wounds. So use it for minor injuries.” Iwaizumi took the crate, brows raised. 

“You made these yourself?” Kotomi nodded. 

“I got the flowers from our gardens. I studied the properties, so I can assure you there  _ is  _ an effect.” Iwaizumi sighed. Kotomi looked very proud that her work with natural remedies was coming along, and that she was able to test them out with her friends. But her inner celebration was quickly cut short. 

“Alright, then.” He placed them aside. Kotomi jumped in her skin when he cracked his knuckles and smirked. “Then like you asked, I won’t stop even if you ask me.” Kotomi took her fighting stance, eyes sharp and alert. 

“Alright, here I go.” Kotomi broke into a run at him as she did with everyone else, but at the last second, she pivoted around him. He didn’t turn right away to watch her, knowing that was what she wanted. She was small, so he expected her to aim low as the smaller guys would. He knew Kuroo had also trained with her before, so the cat man probably would have taught her what Kenma did. As she ducked to tackle his knees, he turned and grabbed the back of her shirt, spun around and kneed her in the stomach. She coughed and fell to her knees with a loud grunt. 

Iwaizumi backed up to watch her, waiting for her next move. He didn’t expect her to lunge at him again just a second later, even with pain still registering in her eyes. He snatched her by the collar of her shirt but instead of trying to get away, Kotomi threw herself at him, grabbed his head and headbutted him, forcing him to let go of her. While he’s stunned, she circled around him again and hopped onto his back, putting him in a sleeper hold, her legs wrapped around his waist to keep herself anchored there. 

“One, two, three-” She counted. It was her first time trying this. Iwaizumi growled and tossed his head back, slamming Kotomi in the face which knocked her off his back and onto the ground again. Iwaizumi grabbed his neck, rubbing it out. She had quite the grip for someone so slim.

“Shit. Now the back and front of my head hurt... but that was good…” He turned to congratulate her for managing to get her arms around him. He turned to find her still on her back. 

“Ah.” Was all he could say. 

* * *

“Well, she didn’t ask you to stop.” Kuroo muttered, seeming a little disturbed as he looked down at the unconscious preteen propped up against the tree. 

“If I hadn’t, she would have choked me out.” Iwaizumi stated, though there was concern in his eyes. Oikawa and Bokuto, however, were too busy nagging Iwaizumi for a change. Bokuto was throwing a tantrum in the backdrop of the other three, throwing rocks and calling Iwaizumi expletives he typically tried not to use around girls.

“Did you have to go for her  _ face?”  _ Bokuto yelled in astonishment. 

__ “You’re a monster, Iwa-chan! What kind of man gives a girl a  _ nosebleed!?”  _ Oikawa almost screeched. He was too busy holding a tissue to Kotomi’s face to keep the blood from getting all over. 

“I had to meet her resolve.” He shrugged. “Since she was so serious, it was important I meet her with my own resolve too.” When the answer didn’t placate Oikawa, his longtime friend looked confused. “Besides, I thought you hated her?” 

“I did.” Oikawa admitted this quietly, Bokuto’s ranting still faintly echoed behind the silence. Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow. “But hating someone like her leaves a bad taste in my mouth.” Kuroo listened and pursed his lips. 

“She is hard to hate, especially with that pretty face of hers looking at us so innocently. Those eyes should be a weapon...” He tried to joke, but the window for changing the subject had already passed, so Kuroo closed his mouth again. 

“Aren’t any of you in the least bit concerned?” Iwaizumi asked. This stopped Bokuto as he tilted his head to listen. Iwaizumi’s eyes flashed down to Kotomi, as if to make sure she was really unconscious. 

“She’s a threat.” 

“She’s not.” Oikawa’s eyes were suddenly serious as chocolate brown met coffee brown. A smile crossed his features. 

“Kotori-chan just wants to protect herself and her loved ones, and she doesn’t know anything, so she’s not a threat.” Iwaizumi seemed unconvinced. “She’s been helping us a lot. No one who was so suspicious would let us know as much as she had.” Bokuto and Kuroo looked away in their guilt, especially the former. 

“We’re friends now,” Bokuto suddenly said. “Can we stop talking about her like this?” He bit his lip.

“We can’t be friends for real, Bo. We can’t even tell her who we really are...” Kuroo reasoned, but he seemed just as displeased with the thought as his two-tone haired friend. Bokuto slumped forward, hugging himself and looking at the ground. 

“But-! Why not? She’s a cool person. Even if she knew, she would never hurt us-!”

“People will do incredible things to protect the ones they love.” Iwaizumi reminded them. “Just like what we’re doing, I’m sure she’s capable of those things too.” He tossed a lazy wave over his shoulder as he started to walk away. “I’m heading home early, make sure she’s okay before you let her go home!” 

Oikawa opened his mouth to protest, but closed it a moment after, sighing a little. After a few minutes, Kotomi woke up suddenly, eyes wide. 

“Iwaizumi-san! Again!” They managed to calm themselves by then.

“He left already, little bird.” Kuroo crooned. 

“Never mind that, Koto-chan! How’s your head? Your head!” Bokuto made odd little grabby motions toward her, which made her inch away from him. He looked like a creepy old man like that.

“It’s fine…” Kotomi seemed a little put out, deflating as she blew the strands of hair out of her face and replaced Oikawa’s hand at her nose with her own. 

“I can’t believe I was knocked unconscious.” 

“Don’t apologize, you did great.” Three pairs of eyes regarded Oikawa with surprise, shock and confusion. “He almost got pretty serious. Even though it was your first time.” 

” ...How unpleasant, you’ve never praised me like this before.” Kotomi visibly shuddered and leaned away, much to Oikawa’s outrage.

“Fine! Have it your way! I won’t say anything nice ever again! 

“Why don’t you show us what you did, little bird? I’m so sad I missed it~” 

“Show us, show us!” Bokuto and Kuroo looked intrigued. 

“You guys are the  _ worst  _ to me. _ ”  _ Oikawa growled, ignored again. 

“Got it! Ah…” Kotomi beamed with pride as she tried to stand up, not realizing that she was even falling over until she hit the ground again.

“ _ Uwahhhhh!!!”  _ Three pairs of hands caught her. Chaos exploded from the mouths of the surprised teens. 

_ “ _ Koto-chan! Is she dead!?” 

“Kotori-chan!” 

“Little bird!”

* * *

** Akashi Residence- Kotomi’s Room **

Today was the first time in a long time that Kotomi had seen Momoi. Two months have passed at this point with the two only catching glimpses of each other or spending a day a week together. With Kotomi either training or sparring, and Momoi hard at work doing her analysis and strategizing with the data teams, there was little desire to talk about work.

“Koto-chan, you seem like you’ve grown so much…” Kotomi glanced up from her book to blink at Momoi, offering up a proud smile as she raised one arm to flex it, half joking, half serious. 

“I’ve been exercising a lot. What do you think? Do you think I look imposing?” Momoi nods and giggled as she cuddled up to her friend and sighed happily. 

“I’m a little jealous and terrified.” Kotomi’s eyes unwittingly traveled down to the other girl’s chest, brow twitching in irritation as she noticed that while Kotomi had a fuller figure than before, there were places she couldn’t improve by training that Momoi just seemed blessed with. 

“So, has anyone caught your eye yet, Sa-chan?” Momoi giggled and shook her head, cheeks turning as pink as her hair as she held them in her hands. 

“No, Tetsu-kun is all I need, of course! I bet he looks so cool, now...” Kotomi couldn’t help feeling pity for any boy who set his sights on Momoi. Kotomi thought Kuroko was pretty cool, too, so no one stood a chance. 

“They’ll be coming soon in just two and a half years, now.” Kotomi sighed. “It really feels like no time has passed at all.” 

“It’s because we’re so busy, these days…” Momoi looked down. “And even when they come back, things won’t be the same. We’re going to be working. You and Tetsu-kun will be on the field, and I’ll be in the labs. We won’t be able to spend time under the tree so much, anymore.” 

“Of course, I’ll make time for you guys! And they’ll do the same for us. It’s part of growing up, I suppose.” 

“What about whoever it is you’re seeing down by the tree?” Kotomi froze just for a moment, and quickly played it off with a laugh. Momoi was observant. She should have known she was going to catch on, even with how little Kotomi saw her. She hasn’t been  _ lying  _ per se, but she wasn’t going to deny being secretive. 

“Well, they’re getting busier these days. So I might not see them as often anymore.”

“Will we get to meet them, do you think? Will the others get along with them?” Honestly? There was no way they were going to get along without serious intervention. 

“Uh..I think they’d need time to warm up to them. They’re pretty shy, so I don’t want to overwhelm them.” Momoi pursed her lips and Kotomi knew where this was going. 

Momoi took Kotomi’s hands and Kotomi instinctively squeezed them. 

“You trust me, right?” Momoi asked while she fidgeted and stared intently at a candy wrapper sitting on the bed.

“Satsuki? What’s wrong?” 

“It’s just…you’ve been keeping a lot of secrets. Signing up to be an on-site medic, meeting up with some secret group of friends…?” Kotomi’s brow furrowed. 

“Oh, Satsuki, of course I trust you. More than anyone in the whole world. I just…I don’t know much about these friends myself.” 

“Then, aren’t they dangerous?” 

“No, they’re good people. A little rough, but good. You can trust me on that.” Momoi was honestly shocked by the development. Ever since they met, Kotomi was always wary of strangers. She held others at arms’ length, which made her a loner in school and just about anywhere else. It seemed to suit her just fine before; but with everyone gone, she couldn’t help but wonder if this new attachment was borne from the loneliness Kotomi felt in their absence. 

Hearing her speak fondly and with certainty of someone else made her feel a bitter contradiction of being happy for her, but also feeling a myriad of less than pleasant emotions as well. Kotomi sensed Momoi wasn’t get convinced everything was fine, so Kotomi leaned in hugged her friend tightly. 

“I promise I’ll tell you everything soon. I just need more time…” Kotomi pulled back from their hug and looked Momoi directly in the eyes. “I understand if that upsets you.” Momoi stared at her for a long time, before her shoulders slumped. The pink-haired girl huffed and Kotomi knew it was okay, now. 

“Well, I am a little annoyed,” Momoi puffed her cheeks out for a moment before she exhaled and smiled. “I trust you, Koto-chan. There’s a reason you haven’t told me yet, but I’m sure you will.” Kotomi looked a bit misty-eyed when she threw her arms around Momoi, nuzzling her face into her peach-scented hair. 

“Sa-chan, I love you!” Momoi laughed and squeezed Kotomi so tight the dark-haired girl wondered if Momoi had been working out lately, too. Suddenly, Kotomi yawned. Between the training and the worrying, she felt drowsy all of a sudden. “Shall we nap a little before dinner?” Momoi shook her head and cuddled up to her best friend a little more.

“I want to have all your time right now, Koto-chan. So, let’s hang out and talk and  _ then  _ we can sleep.” Kotomi smiled blissfully and nodded. 

“I like the sound of that.” While she was glad the talk about her new friends had passed, Momoi brought up an idea that Kotomi hadn’t given much thought. Akashi and the others meeting Oikawa and his friends. Even though the potential chaos gave her indigestion, it also sounded like a lot of fun.

_ I’m sure they’d get along great, eventually. _

* * *

** Plum Tree **

“Iwaizumi-san?” When she came to their meeting spot, Kotomi was surprised to see not Oikawa, Bokuto, or Kuroo under the tree as per usual, but the elusive and magnanimous Iwaizumi himself. The young man nodded to her politely, hands stuffed into his pocket. “What a surprise.”

“Am I not welcome when I’m not kicking your ass?” Kotomi twitched, laughing. 

“That’s not it! I just don’t see you that often, and I didn’t think you would come on your own...” Honestly, she thought that maybe Iwaizumi didn’t like her at all. She couldn’t read him. 

“Those three have got something going on today and tomorrow. I came to see how you’re doing for them.” Oh? Now that was yet another surprise. Was this about how he knocked her unconscious the other day? 

“I’m alright. Thank you for humoring me. I just wanted to see how well I’ve been progressing. Bokuto-san spoke so highly of you that I really wanted to see it for myself.”

“Hm.” There was a long silence, and Kotomi felt itchy as the silence made her skin prickle. Suddenly, Iwaizumi broke the quiet. 

“You’re getting better. Trashykawa said that you’re a little harder to dodge nowadays.” Kotomi brightened and huffed triumphantly, crossing her arms. 

“I-it’s all thanks to all of you.” Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes at her, and pursed his lips. 

“So, we’re all buddy buddy now, huh?” Kotomi was caught off guard by the question, cornflower blue eyes widened. 

“E-excuse me?” Iwaizumi examined her alarm closely, but shortly after he waved away the question polluting the air. 

“Never mind. Forget I asked. I’ll leave you alone since you seem fine.” 

“W-Wait!” Kotomi stood up and grabbed Iwaizumi’s hand. She let him go just as quickly when his gaze locked onto her with a snap of his previously turning head. “Sorry! I just...I was surprised. I didn’t think you...considered me a friend?” Iwaizumi looked up at her with a raised brow.

“I never said I did. I was talking about the others. They seem to like you, at least.”

”I do! I consider them my friends! At..at least I hope they are. I’m not very good at being friendly with others, but they make me laugh and I feel really energetic around them.” 

“But you don’t know anything about them.” Kotomi tilted her head.

“What else do I need to know? They’re good people.” His eyes widened at this. “Of course, I’m curious, but I’m sure that you have your reasons for being secretive. I just hope that it isn’t because you think that I would think differently of you.” Iwaizumi scoffed to disguise his perplexed expression. 

“Oikawa gives you too much credit.” He murmured under his breath.

“What?” 

“None of your concern.” Iwaizumi quickly shut down any avenue for questioning his verbal spillover. He wasn’t going to get friendly with her just because the others did. Kotomi felt a wave of anxiety towards his cold attitude. She had never felt this way before. Oikawa was just as cold when, if not antagonistic when they first met. So why did this bother her so much? She had to say something.

“I don’t expect us to, but I hope we can all continue to see each other and get alone like this…as friends.” Iwaizumi stared Kotomi down, but she remained steadfast, the only sound at the moment the tree branches rustling against each other from a sudden breeze. After another beat, he sighed and turned around, starting to walk away as he called out over her shoulder. 

“Make sure you let them know how much you like them!” 

“Huh? Wait! Iwaizumi-san?” He turned back to look at her. Kotomi was staring wide-eyed at him, confusion etched all over her expression. “Was that some sort of test?” He smirked a little in response. 

“I just wanted to know where you stood on those idiots. They’ll come up with all kinds of crazy ideas.” He paused when he hears the soft thudding of footsteps behind him, almost toppling over then he felt hands as they found purchase on his back. Kotomi tugged on his sweatshirt, looking up at him with wide eyes. 

“Then I like you too, Iwaizumi-san!” His eyes widen at her declaration, staring down at cornflower blue with his own dark brown eyes. “I want to know more about you, too.” Iwaizumi’s eyes shaded over as he placed his larger hand over hers and brushed it off like a bug on his shoulder. He walked away, and this time Kotomi stayed put. 

“Let’s hope that’s still true in the end!” Kotomi paused, staring after him. That uneasy feeling was back. 

_ When was the end? _

* * *

** Citadel-Downtown **

_ It had all happened so fast.  _

“That’ll be 550 Yen, please.” Kotomi placed her chips and box of cookies in her bag, carrying a jug of barley tea as well. Iwaizumi’s words resonated her. She wanted to get to know the four of them better. Today she hoped to sit and listen to them and their stories. Just like she did with Tetsuya and the others. 

It happened as she walked out of the corner convenience store, and Kotomi heard it before she saw it. A heavy booming sound made her ears ache and shook the earth under her feet so much that she stumbled. Her eyes snapped towards the sky as she saw a cloud of smoke and ash, the smell of burning itching her nose. 

As panic began to rise, people ran for cover. Kotomi dropped her snacks, frozen in place. A strange emotion choked her chest as she stumbled forward as started walking, then started jogging, running, and the next thing she knew she was sprinting in the direction of the crowd, shoving her way through fleeing business men and store owners. There had never been an explosion within the borders of the city before. All defense mechanisms existed outside the area. Kotomi reached into her bag and her hand brushed against her mini medic kit which contained the bare basics. 

Kotomi didn’t know how much she could help, but something compelled her to move forward as the air around her started to darken with soot and ash and smoke. 

“You!” A fireman suddenly grabbed her by the waist as she was running and immediately pressed a mask to her face.

“You can’t be here, miss!”

“Let go!” Kotomi wrenched herself from his grasp and ran forward despite the firefighter calling behind her. She adjusted the mask on her face, but her eyes began to tear and burn. 

In the chaos of the smoke, she saw the silhouette of a person. They were wearing tactical gear and a mask. They turned their head to her, and Kotomi’s heart leapt out of her chest as she recognized a messy head of chocolate brown locks.

_ It couldn’t be... _

She rubbed at her eyes, but tripped in her moment of blindness and fell to her knees with her palms landing on something wet. When she looked up, the figure was gone. With bleary eyes, Kotomi looked down, her hands stained red. Her heart stopped as she followed the trail of liquid to the source. 

“Help me…” A young woman was collapsed, unmoving on the ground. Half of her body was trapped beneath the rubble of a nearby collapsing building. The only thing moving were her lips, a small line of red dripped down her lips and chin from the head wound she sported.

“Hang on. It’s okay, I’m a medic.” She immediately reassured the woman, as per her training. But her voice was shaking, and her hands fumbled as Kotomi reached up and started pushing on the debris. She cleared glass, chunks of wood, and concrete. With a grunt and a push, Kotomi managed to free the woman’s body from the debris, but Kotomi already knew that the woman would not be able to walk on her own. It was then that Kotomi noticed the long strip of wood which impaled her abdomen. Kotomi paused to slow the rushing of bile up her stomach, a ball of ice burned coldly in her stomach. But she pushed on, trembling fingers reached for her medic kit. 

_ Don’t remove any obtrusions, it will speed up blood loss. Remove victim from danger.  _

__ “I’m going to move you, okay?” She pulled her handkerchief from her bag and pressed it to the wound on her head, pressing hard despite the pained whimper. 

_ Head wounds are often superficial, but when you aren’t sure, act as if it’s life-threatening. _

“I don’t want to die.” The woman whimpered, and Kotomi released a shaky breath and smiled as calmly as she could manage. 

_ Be reassuring. Fear means faster heart rate; faster heartrate means blood loss.  _

“You won’t. It’s okay.” Kotomi reached down and slipped an arm around her waist and threw the woman’s arm over her shoulder, and kept the injured side away from contact. She staggered slightly under the weight. Thanks to Oikawa’s training, the burden was manageable. She carried the woman until firefighters intercepted them. One had to catch Kotomi as she collapsed and immediately released the contents of her stomach onto the ground. Even with the mask, her head spun and her vision blurred. She heard distant shouting, and felt someone wrap an arm around her waist and lifted her to her feet again. 

Kotomi looked down at her hand as she walked, still stained in the woman’s blood, only for a clear liquid to drop down onto it. Only then did she realize she was crying. But they weren’t from fear or pain. 

_ Where have I seen this all before? _

** City -Ambulance **

__ They helped her wash away the blood from her hands, did preliminary examinations on her health, and asked her how she was feeling. Once the air  _ literally _ cleared some from the city, Kotomi got quite the scolding from the first responders. She knew they were going to tell Masaomi, but the question was whether he was going to do anything about it. But that was a concern for a later date, as she now had to talk her way out of this situation.

“I was close by, and I knew people were danger. My intention wasn’t to undermine your authority, or do your jobs for you. I just knew people were hurt and needed help.” With a sympathetic look from the officers and the firefighters, one placed a hand on her shoulder. 

“That’s very good, young lady, but you should think about how your family would react if you had gotten hurt. There may have been a second explosion, or the culprits may have been in the area.” Kotomi tried not to tense, remembering that chocolatey color she spotted in the midst of the chaos. There was no way she couldn’t recognize it, but she couldn’t believe it, either. 

“You’re right. Please forgive me.” 

“I still have to inform your guardian.”

“I understand.” She needed to confirm it right now. 

“Go home, alright? I think you’ve had enough excitement for the day. Just be more careful, next time.” Kotomi bowed and ran off. She hoped that they were there, that her hunch was wrong. They were waiting underneath that plum tree for her, and they were going to ask why she looked so scared. 

Because it wasn’t Oikawa she saw in that madness. 

Because they had nothing to do with it. 

And when she saw Oikawa’s silhouette in the distance as she came closer to the tree, her heart lifted and the relief filled her chest. 

Just for a moment. 

“Kotomi!” Kotomi smelled metal in the air before she saw them closer. From the distance, she saw an amorphous blob gain shape. She recognized chocolate brown and spiky black hair. 

“Oikawa-san!” As she ran to meet him, her expression grew more alarmed and wide-eyed as she took everything in. Oikawa was carrying Iwaizumi, holding his friend by the arm and waist. 

They were covered in ash. 

And blood. 

Oikawa was crying. 

Iwaizumi wasn’t moving,

His tactical gear was bloody. His mask hung from his tightly clenched fist.

“Please, help him! Please…” Kotomi bit her lip so hard that she tasted the copper herself. Oikawa looked terrified. Of her. Even though  _ they  _ were the ones carrying guns and knives in their holsters, Kotomi noticed. 

Because both of them knew the power the dark-haired girl currently had. 

_ Liar. They lied to her. This whole time.  _

“Why did you come here?” She asked. 

“Kotomi-” 

“ _ Why did you come?”  _ Kotomi’s voice rose toward a shriek in the end. “If you hadn’t come looking like this, I wouldn’t have to face such an awful truth-!” Oikawa blanched, rage filling his eyes. 

“I didn’t have a choice!” He snarled, but then reeled backwards immediately; he averted his eyes, and Kotomi’s gaze was drawn to the glass shard about the width of three of her fingers embedded in Iwaizumi’s stomach. As they spoke, blood dripped onto the ground. It was a mystery how these two even made it here without being noticed. But Kotomi’s head was in disarray, and she had to ask her questions before she came to a conclusion.

“Were you using me this whole time?” She knew it wasn’t the time to ask, but she had to know. Even if she knew that he was going to lie to her again. Oikawa stared at her as he thought, but he didn’t have the liberty to consider his options for long. 

“Yes.” He finally answered, and lowered his head. “Even so, please help us.” Kotomi shut her eyes and took a deep breath. She reached into her back and checked her kit before she turned to him again.

“Put him on the ground.”

* * *

** 55 Minutes Later **

“He’ll be alright. Glass is a little easier to remove than anything else. Just be glad that there was only one piece.” Exhaustion racked her voice as she placed the glass shard on the ground beside her. 

“Will he live?” Oikawa asked softly. Kotomi had never seen Oikawa like this, before. He was sitting with his back to her and an unconscious Iwaizumi, shoulders lowered, head rested in between his knees. 

“The wound needs to be irrigated later. I can…I can try to stitch it. I think he needs a hospital.” 

“We can’t go.” 

“But- “

“ _ We can’t go.”  _ Kotomi tugged Iwaizumi’s shirt up a little farther, so she could scrutinize the shoddy patchwork she did while stitching up his wound.

“Then we watch closely, make sure it doesn’t get infected.” Oikawa glanced over her shoulder, but Kotomi refused to meet his gaze. If this hadn’t been a life or death situation, Kotomi knew she would have lost it at the discovery of the truth, slapped him and screamed and pounded the ground with her fists. In her 14 years of life as she knew them, Kotomi had never thrown a tantrum. And never in her life had she wanted to so badly. They sat in silence until Oikawa spoke first.

“I didn’t know where else to go.” He whispered.

“I know.” 

“Don’t let him die.” He begged.

“You’re being dramatic, he won’t.” She reassured as per her training, numb.

“…Aren’t you going to ask how?” His voice was even quieter, if confused.

“It’s not good to ask victims of trauma about their trauma right away.” 

“How do you know that?” 

“The doctors used to say that over and over about me.” Her passive expression complemented his shocked one while she poured some disinfectant on a cotton pad. “Did you think that I was born into money? I was probably a lot like the other kids at one point; no family, no home, probably abused. Hold his hand.” Oikawa did as he was told, but his eyes never left Kotomi’s face. She gently ran her hands through Iwaizumi’s hair, surprised by how soft it was, despite its sharp appearance. 

“Iwaizumi-san, I’m sorry,” she murmured. “It’s going to sting.” When the pad touched his wound, Iwaizumi’s eyes flew open and he screamed. 

When Kotomi finished, she sat back with a heavy sigh, and wiped away the sweat on her forehead with her arm. It was sloppy, but the wound was somewhat clean and closed, now. Iwaizumi had woken up to scream in pain before passing out again. Kotomi turned to Oikawa, who was cradling his hand from how tightly Iwaizumi squeezed it. But the typically animated, whiny young man didn’t make a single sound the entire ordeal. 

“Is your hand okay?” When he didn’t answer her, she sighed and started to pack up. She needed a bed. To cry in? To sleep in? She would only know the answer when she got there. 

“Why did you help us?” Kotomi paused, looking down at her hands, slightly bloodied, burned, and sweaty. She sighed. 

“Why do you think?” 

“Answer the question.” Kotomi laughed at his audacity, and smiled politely at him.

“No.” Kotomi flinched when she was grabbed and whirled around to look at him. Instead of worried or sad, he looked furious, chocolate brown turned dark as he gripped her shoulders tighter. Kotomi slammed her fist into his chest, but she remained calm. If he wanted a reaction, she sure as hell wasn’t going to give him one. 

“Don’t  _ fuck  _ with me.  _ Why?  _ We saw you. You saw us. And then we came to you, dressed like this. You helped a woman who was hurt by us. So tell me,  _ why  _ aren’t you asking? Why are you helping?  _ What  _ are you thinking?” Kotomi stared up at him, unreadable. 

“I don’t know.” His eyes widened and his grip on her loosened. 

“What the hell do you mean you don’t know…?” Kotomi took his surprise as a chance to turn the tables and asked a question of her own. 

“What about you? Why bother training me so hard when you knew that you were my enemy?” Oikawa scoffed. 

“I didn’t think you would keep at it this long.” He admitted. “Why did  _ you  _ help Iwa-chan, even if you found out we’ve tricked you?”

Kotomi glanced back at Iwaizumi. 

“He tried to tell me what you were up to.” His eyes narrowed and tightened on her shoulders again. “Why do you think that is?” 

“Stop  _ dodging  _ and  _ answer  _ my question.” Kotomi glared at him, reaching up slowly with both hands, and then suddenly slapped his face with both palms. 

_ SMACK.  _ Oikawa released her to hold his now stinging cheeks and glared at her. He growled and got in her face.

“You haven’t figured it out,  _ Shittykawa?”  _ She cried in exasperation, slapping herself on the chest. “Because no matter how we met, or what you planned, didn’t we become  _ friends?  _ Or was it just me who thought that!?” Oikawa’s eyes widened as he stared up at her, never having seen such an expression on her before. 

“How could I not? You all seemed to genuinely want the best for me. You were so nice, and made my days so fun.” She coughed out a laugh, but it burned her throat so much that her eyes teared up. “I suspected you from the beginning, but I just thought that I was a bad person. I’ve always been that way.”

“Kotori-chan-“

“But I helped you, I laughed with you, I sparred with you. I  _ trusted  _ you. So, I pretended not to notice. No, I chose not to look! I kept you a secret from my best friend, and the people who  _ raised me _ .”

“Hey- “Kotomi didn’t realize how loud or frantic her voice was getting. It all poured out of her now that she had time to breathe. 

“I’ve always been able to ignore people and keep them away. I thought all I needed was Tetsuya and the others. It’s all I cared about. I was using you too! So why did I become the idiot you were all laughing at in the end!? Even now, I still helped Iwaizumi-san, after you admitted to using me!” She rambled on and on, her fingers threaded through her hair. These were all things she had held in all this time, even from Momoi now.

“And even when I _ wanted  _ to doubt you, then Iwaizumi had to go and try to tell me the truth. How could I just leave him to die after doing something like that!?” Surely, this is what he meant when he expressed his concern about the nature of their relationship. He was trying to warn her, in his own way.

“I’m so humiliated.” Kotomi finally admitted as she covered her face. Her voice trembled, even if no tears would come. “I’m a fool...because I still can’t hate you. I want to keep on being friends with you...I don’t want our time together to ever end! I want to know more about you, Bokuto-san, Kuroo-san, and Iwaizumi-san...I’m sorry, everyone...I’m sorry...” 

Suddenly, Oikawa wrapped his arms around her, wound tightly around her as he pulled Kotomi close. One hand crossed her back to hold her shoulder, the other held her by the waist. 

“That’s a stupid thing to decide…you really are a freak.” He hid his face in the crook of her neck, holding her so tightly that Kotomi turned pink in the face.

“Let go.” Her arms were cramped up against his chest, and it rendered her immobile. 

“No.” 

“I hate you.” She murmured. 

“No you don’t.” 

“You just said I’m a freak.” She complained.

“And I’m friends with a freak.” Kotomi pouted that now familiar minty, pine scent of his reminding her to breathe. It was so draining, to be so emotional. And it was irrational. How was this friendship going to work?

“Kotori-chan…” Kotomi looked up at Oikawa, her eyes widened as Oikawa started to lean in. His face closed the distance between him. His eyes concentrated on her parted lips. But Kotomi felt a jolt of panic. Was he about to-

“Oika-“ A rock suddenly flew out of nowhere and beaned Oikawa in the head, which earned a squawk of pain. Kotomi looks to the source, cheeks pink. Was he just about to—

“You’ve got some nerve,  _ Shittykawa. _ ” Despite his now throbbing forehead, Oikawa gasped and ran over to his friend, kneeling by him with teary eyes. 

“Iwa-chan!” Iwaizumi kicked him weakly, growling in irritation. 

“Don’t shout... You’re a pain...” He grunted and held his wound. Kotomi snapped out of her daze and kneeled by him, touching his shoulder. Iwaizumi flinched, glancing up at her as if he was afraid she was going to hit him. Instead, Kotomi offered him a precious pain killer capsule. She got into the habit of keeping a few on her for headaches during studying sessions late at night. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do much more than this. You’ll be in a lot of pain later, so use this when it’s unbearable. I’ll try to bring more next time.” Iwaizumi glanced at her, and then away. 

“Right. Thanks…” Kotomi pursed her lips, placed a hand over Iwaizumi’s and squeezed it securely. 

“You tried to warn me before, didn’t you?” His widened dark gaze found her blue one as she smiled without humor but plenty of gratitude. “You’re much kinder than you let anyone believe. I’m still not ready to forgive you guys just yet, but...I’m very relieved that you haven’t left us yet. Thank you, Iwaizumi-san.” 

Iwaizumi felt his chest tighten as she stared, unable to utter a single word. But the moment was short-lived, as Oikawa placed his hands on their foreheads and physically separated them. 

“Hold on, Kotori-chan! Let this guy die, after all! I’ve been worried about him and he went and threw a rock at me!” Oikawa pointed while he made his accusations.

“Shut up! This wouldn’t have happened if you had just moved when I told you to move back in the city!” In response, Iwaizumi kicked at Oikawa’s feet, but the brunette only hissed and pounded his chest in warning. 

“Ow! Iwa-chan!” Kotomi blinks, raising a hand. How did they still have this much energy?

“Maybe you guys shouldn’t—” 

“Shut up while I’m hitting you,  _ Shittykawa! _ ” 

“Ow! You bastard! Ow, Iwa-chan, ow! Stop!”

“You tryin’ to kill me, Shittykawa!” Kotomi felt a vein pop in her a head. Her voice shook a bit as she tried to remain composed. 

“Guys…” She mumbled.

“Don’t bite me, you—” The top popped off on her patience and she opened her mouth wide to shout at the highest volume she could conjure from her throat.

“ **_ HEY!”  _ ** The two boys stopped bickering long enough to gape at Kotomi, whose voice had dropped an octave and raised in volume. They both shrunk away from her glare. 

“ **_ Iwaizumi-san. Oikawa-san worked really hard to get you to me, don’t be hitting him, even if he deserves it.”  _ ** He grunted in agreement as a bead of sweat slipped down his temple. 

“Yes, ma’am.” He huffed.

**_ “Oikawa-san. You were crying over Iwaizumi-san dying, don’t aggravate his wound or I’ll kill you myself. Understood?”  _ **

“Yes…” Oikawa’s felt his cheeks warm, inexplicably. This didn’t escape Iwaizumi, who looked a mix of confused, shocked, and creeped out.

_ Why the hell does he look so pleased?  _ Her expression softened with their agreement and truce, and she clapped her hands together, smiling gently. 

“Good! You two should head back. Come back here if Iwaizumi starts feeling any soreness or you see any red around the stitches. We should be able to remove them in two weeks. Try to see about irrigating the wound with clean water, okay? And let me know if you need anything for anyone. I’ll see what I can do.” 

Without waiting for a response, Kotomi turned around to continue cleaning up. As Oikawa struggled to his feet with Iwaizumi staggering in tow, Kotomi suddenly stopped. 

“Oh, and before I forget, we don’t have to train tomorrow.” The two of them shared a worried expression as Kotomi continued. She gave them a sweet and innocent curl of her lips. 

“Tomorrow, all 4 of you are going to be my punching bags. As revenge for causing me so much trouble.” Both their mouths fell open to gape at her sudden confidence. 

“W-What makes you think we’ll just agree to that!?” Kotomi’s smile only widened, but the threat was palpable. 

“You won’t. But it will happen. I’m still pretty upset, you know.” 

The two exchanged the same expression this time. 

_ Cute, but terrifying! _

* * *

“Be careful heading back. Iwaizumi-san, please don’t let your stitches open up.” She adjusted the wrappings she had put around Iwaizumi’s mid-section for extra cover before she pulled away, satisfied. As she inspected her work once more time, Oikawa smiled gently as he watched her. The smile didn’t feel forced like it had when they first met. It was a quiet, fond curve of the lips that Iwaizumi had goosebumps from witnessing. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Kotomi.” Oikawa murmured, placing a single hand on her head. Kotomi pouted and smacked his hand off with a half-hearted glare.

“I’m still mad. Let me beat you up tomorrow and we’ll be even.” Oikawa chuckled, but the sound came so naturally that Kotomi felt her cheeks warm at how much she enjoyed such a sound. 

“You wish. I’ll still wipe the floor with you.” He helped Iwaizumi turn to walk away, glancing over his shoulder to look back at Kotomi yet again, He couldn’t help noting how dirty she looked from all that happened today, and yet her eyes shone brighter than ever; her shoulders still stood tall. She noticed his stare and raised a hand to wave.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” She called, to which both of them sent her a silent nod. As he and Iwaizumi disappeared under the cover of the setting sun, Kotomi turned to leave, picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder when she paused. 

_Wait…he just used my name without honorifics just now.[ 2](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&hid=wEuy5cVxQ0CpQYpsGEIzzw.0&wopisrc=https://wopi.onedrive.com/wopi/files/CD159322515E6F5A!1453&wdorigin=OFFICECOM-WEB.START.MRU&wdo=2&wde=docx&sc=host=&qt=#footnote2)_ But rather than feeling insulted, Kotomi smiled, despite her aching legs, drooping eyelids, and stinging finger tips. She took a deep, calming breath as she walked with her head turned up at the sky, wondering if she would finally get to learn more about Oikawa and the others now that the truth was out in the open.

But eventually she gave up wondering; it was something to consider another day. It wasn’t as if the answer was going to change anything, anymore.

As the two boys walked home, Iwaizumi finally mentioned the elephant in the room. 

“The hell was that creepy ass smile on your face when she was nagging us? I didn’t take you to be a masochist.” Oikawa flinched, trying not to drop Iwaizumi.

“I am not! But isn’t she really cute when she’s mad!?” He snapped back vehemently. “It feels crazy good to have a pretty girl worry about you, Iwa-chan! It’s a shame you can’t appreciate Kotori-chan’s beautiful heart!

“Oh, shut the hell up, you freak! I was a little caught up in not dying!” As the words sunk in, Iwaizumi lowered his gaze “I thought I was going to die.” But Oikawa smiled and looked up at the sky, his expression soft. 

“We really made a great friend, didn’t we, Iwa-chan?” 

“…Yeah, I know.” 

“I want to spend even more time with her.” 

“Yeah.” 

“You guys can stay home though, since she likes the most.” 

** “ _ Shut up.”  _ **

* * *

**_ Two and a Half Years Later… _ **

Sounds of gunfire and a thick smoke filled the air as a soldier who lay prone dragged themself on the ground as they searched fruitlessly for safety. There were no allies in sight. With nothing else to do, they rested their head on the dirt and resigned to die. 

“EM KF-16 active and providing extraction!” A hand planted itself securely on the soldier’s shoulder; a strong shake jarred them back to alertness. Above them stood a young woman with dark hair and light blue eyes. She smiled while she did a preliminary examination, and stopped when they hissed at her fingers brushing against their ankle.

“I venture your ankle is broken, but if you can move the other leg, we can make it to an extraction point.” She explained as quickly and clearly as she could amongst the noise. 

“Affirmative.” They answered. Immediately, they were hoisted up onto their good leg, and one strong arm wraps around their waist, the other angled down to lean on a much shorter shoulder. They begin a swift, but careful maneuver around disturbed dirt where land mines lay, over various debris, and the medic kicked away a stray rifle left behind by some unlucky soldier. They stopped, however, when they came across another unconscious body. She called out to them, but received no answer, and resolved to grabbing the person by the arm, pulling them up and slinging them over the other side. 

“I’m gonna ask you to help me walk and support him, soldier, can you do that?” 

“Affirmative, ma’am.” Without need for another word, they were back to moving through the battlefield, and eventually took refuge behind flipped cars and broken concrete walls. It was a slow progression, but safe. They stopped behind a concrete slab, and the medic dis a preliminary check on the unconscious soldier. 

She flipped their wrist over, noting the bright red stain there. Then, she lifted their helmet slightly, taking note there was red, too. 

“A head injury and a wrist injury. Unresponsive, which might denote head damage.” She noted to herself. She peered slightly over the concrete, and reached slowly for the gun holstered on her hip. 

“We’re going to charge out. I’m going to carry this one, but I need you to run close behind us.” She kneeled by their injury, pulling out her bandages, which were hanging securely on her backpack, and wrapping his leg tightly with swift flourishes of the arms and dexterous movements of her fingers. She then hoisted the unconscious person over her shoulder again, and looked to the young man. She smiled gently; her air was quite soothing, despite the atmosphere. 

“We’ll be alright.” The conscious soldier tensed at the certainty she spoke with, feeling a surge of confidence from her words. They smiled right back. 

“Ready? One, two…. three!” She ran, or rather stumbled while carrying the unconscious man, with the other soldier right behind her. She scooped up a fallen trash can cover, her eyes scanned at least 15 feet ahead of her. So far, so good. 

_ Click.  _ Spoke too soon. Kotomi’s hand went for the gun, but it was too late. It came from a blind spot, which was obscured by the soldier she was holding. But she barely managed to dodge the shot, and fell backwards in her haste. She looked up at her assailant, their gun trained on her as they emerged from their hiding spot. They fired once and hit her square in the chest. She fell back with the impact as red spread across her bullet proof vest. 

“Ow!” 

“Gotcha.” The sound of gunfire spotted, and the two ‘injured’ soldiers straightened themselves, sighing. She shot up and groaned loudly, kicked her legs in childish frustration and glared at the small splatter of red on her chest. 

“Curses!” The assailant laughed a bit and removed their helmet, revealing a kind-faced young man just a few years her senior, with large bushy brows, warm, coffee colored eyes, and head of scruffy hair the color of chocolate mousse. 

“That’s a new one! Even when you’re killed, you speak so properly, Kotomi-chan.” He held out a hand and Kotomi took it, standing up so she could dust herself off. 

“Well, I know it’s a simulation. It’s hard to know if that’s how I’ll really react.” 

“I hope we don’t find out any time soon. You’re just beginning your deployment as a medic. Warzone 13, right?” Kotomi nodded, pushing her hair behind her ear. The young man touched a lock of her hair, smiling fondly. 

“Your hair is pretty, but have you thought about cutting it? It might be dangerous.” 

“Mm, I asked Riko-chan to help me cut it next week. I want to look cute tonight.” Kiyoshi chuckled. The gap between how she was while working and how she was normally was endearing. 

“Do you have a man to impress?” Kotomi’s cheeks turned pink and she huffed as she shook her head. 

“I’ve too many troublesome men in my life to worry about for that, Kiyoshi-senpai.” He laughed at this, ruffling her hair with an affectionately large bear-like hand. 

“Make sure you don’t end up dating a troublesome man, then.” She sighed and crossed her arms, turning to the fallen ‘soldiers’, who pulled off their helmets to reveal a blonde head of hair pulled back into a ponytail and beautiful eyes of emerald green, and a brunette with short caramel brown hair and eyes to match.

“Thank you for your help, Alex-sensei, Riko-chan.” Alex threw her arms around Kotomi, something she’s just learned to expect from her personality type, in these last two years. She nuzzled Kotomi affectionately. 

“Anything for you, cutie pie! I can’t believe you’re really going, soon!” Kotomi placed a hand over Alex’s mouth, trying to crane her neck away from the blonde’s kisses. 

“I can’t believe how much you’ve improved, Kotomi-chan.” Riko nodded in approval. “As I thought, cultivating this kind of talent is incredible! It’s such a shame that we have to end...” 

“Yes, training is officially over at the end of the month, which is why…” Kotomi took a deep breath and crossed her arms. “I need to hear what you guys think.” Kiyoshi and Alex exchanged a look, nodding to one another. 

“From what we’ve seen, extraction is not a problem for you. You’re strong, careful, and calm.” Kiyoshi began. “Even when you had another pair of eyes, you kept vigilant. In fact, you became even more so after picking them up.”

“Your medical response is excellent, as well.” Alex added, smiling proudly. “You assessed initial wounds and made educated guesses that were accurate enough for the circumstances. It’s important not to take injuries at face value.” 

“And I felt very assured when you told me it would be alright. I felt calmer around you…but…” Kotomi huffed in upset, whining as Riko began what she was waiting for.

“You can’t hesitate.” Kiyoshi finished. “But I know you already realized that.” Kotomi couldn’t protest. He was the one with battlefield experience, after all. A former captain whose knee was severely injured, which removed him from the battlefield and put him in the medical field, where he had access to rehabilitation care and ran extraction simulations with medics-in-training. Kotomi came at the right time, getting to be his guinea pig for the program.

“You moved slow on the draw. You noticed my movement, but you ignored it. In cases like this, when you’re responsible for other people, you need to follow those hunches. And you  _ can’t  _ hesitate on the kill.” Kotomi deflated on this, avoiding eye contact. 

“It’s scary to kill, especially when you’re trying to save people, but—” 

“I’m not afraid to kill,” Kotomi stopped Riko mid-sentence; Kotomi’s sharpened and narrowed. Her grasp on the prop gun tightened and her finger twitched at the trigger.

“I know I have to kill to protect those around me, but…” Kotomi bit her lip. 

_ What if I’m not sure I want to kill the person on the other side of that gun?  _ Kiyoshi watched her a moment, then ruffled her hair again, chuckling. 

“Then again, you might have also just been distracted by something else.” Kotomi giggled. He was too nice, sometimes. 

“Okay, I think she gets it. We have time to work on it, after all. You have a month to get everything together, isn’t that right? Go home for today. You have a big night ahead of you.” Riko said with a smile. Kotomi’s eyes lit up, and Riko preemptively grabbed Alex by the back of her shirt to keep the woman from pouncing to hug the teen.

“A-are you sure it’s okay?” Riko covered her mouth to hide a giggle.

_ She obviously wants to go home…so cute...!  _ Kotomi had no idea why the three of her mentors were wearing such soft expressions, but she liked how happy they looked. 

__ “Yep! It’s not every day they come back from training, after all. You guys are having a party, right?” Kiyoshi asked. Kotomi nodded eagerly and ran for her stuff, shedding her medic packs, one at her side, her hips, the large one on her back, and her tactical gear. 

“Thank you, guys! I’ll see you tomorrow!” And with that, Kotomi was out the door. She leaped over benches and bike racks as she ran. Downtown was busier than normal, as everyone was preparing for the return of their family. The air was so light and energetic that Kotomi felt lightheaded. Meanwhile, her mentors chatted as they tidied up training room. 

“She’s so cute, it hurts. Is that girl really 16 already?” Alex stared her hands in disbelief, as if horrified she didn’t to hug the dark-haired teenager. “All that time has passed, she’s so good with people now...” She sniffled and wiped away a tear. “I remember when I almost mistook her for a lost child the first time she walked in here...”

“She’s a hard worker, I like her. It’ll be a little quieter here in a month. It hasn’t been this quiet since your boys stopped visiting, Alex-san...” Riko sighed, holding her cheek. She turned to Kiyoshi, looking for him to agree with her, but his solemn expression muted her own joy. 

“Teppei…? What’s on your mind?” Kiyoshi blinked and looks down at Riko, smiling fondly, which made the young girl blush slightly and avert her eyes. 

“It’s nothing. I’ll miss her, too. It’s just…I’ve been in contact with Hyuga and Izuki lately. To check in on Alex-san’s boys for her every once in a while.” 

“Even though outside contact isn’t allowed, I guess you have connections like that, huh?” 

“I’m grateful; even if those two dummies could write letters, they wouldn’t.” Alex whined. 

“I actually asked about Kotomi’s friends for her, so I could give her some good news.” Kiyoshi continued, but his subdued expression made Riko blink cluelessly. Why would he seem so solemn about something like that? 

“Why didn’t you say anything...?” She asked with caution. Kiyoshi took a deep breath as he rubbed the back of his head. 

“I heard some nasty rumors...and I don’t think she would have liked them.”

* * *

** Akashi Estate **

Kotomi threw the front doors open and dodged servants carrying the favorite dishes of her friends. Onion gratin soup, tofu soup, red bean soup –  _ why did they like soup so much -  _ even vanilla shakes, a big chocolate cake, and teriyaki burger steak. She passed Momoi, who is dressed in a pretty cocktail dress, trying to fix her hair. It has been 3 years, after all. She wanted to show Kuroko how much she’s grown into a woman. 

“Koto-chan! You’re not showered yet?” She called after Kotomi.

“I’ll be there in a moment!” She answered back before she disappeared into her room. Kotomi wanted to dress nice for them, too. She wanted to show them how capable she’s become. 

Once showered and clean, Kotomi wore a long-sleeved silky blouse and pleated skirt with stockings to hide all the small scars and marks she accumulated over the two years of intense training. She was anxious for more than just their return. She knew they were going to find out about that fateful choice she made 3 years ago, eventually. She just had to make sure it wasn’t tonight. She was lucky enough with avoiding Akashi’s father so far, so she was confident she could keep doing it.

Tonight was just to focus on welcoming them home. Kotomi looked at herself in the mirror, pushing some hair behind her as she smiled and giggled to herself. As a final touch, she pinned some white flowers clips into her side ponytail. She rarely paid so much attention to herself these days, so dressing up was a nice change for a special night. Kotomi smiled and hurried downstairs. 

_ Mou, I can’t wait one second longer! Hurry and come home, guys! _

Well, she  _ started  _ excited, at least. As soon as Kotomi came down, Momoi suddenly confronted Kotomi with a concerned and wary tone. 

“So, have you given any thought to how they’re going to react to you being a medic in the Warzone they’re assigned to?” Kotomi stood there for a solid 30 seconds before her mouth fell open. All she could do at the moment was pray that she misheard Momoi.

“What Warzone are they in...?” 

“I just saw your placement today at-wait! Kotomi-chan!” Momoi managed to grab the smaller girl by the waist to prevent her from sprinting away. 

“I didn’t know I’d be with them! They’re going to see me on the roster as soon as they look!-” 

“Then you need to tell them before they see it! They’re going to be here any minute, where are you trying to go!?”    
“Sa-chan, can’t you tell them for me?” 

“ _ You’re  _ the one who signed up behind our back, so you have to tell them.” Momoi retorted, surprisingly strong for how dainty she looked. Kotomi shrieked she heard a maid make an announcement.

“They’re coming, everyone!” The maids hurried to stand by, while Momoi struggled to keep Kotomi in place. She grabbed Kotomi by the shoulders and forced cornflower blue to meet cherry pink. 

“Koto-chan! Don’t worry about it right now, they’re home so they won’t look at the records! But don’t run away and ruin their first night home!” Kotomi inhaled sharply as she realized how right Momoi was, and how shameful she was being. She took Momoi’s hands off her shoulders and nodded. 

“You’re right...I’m sorry...” Kotomi turned to the door, but Momoi held onto Kotomi’s hand, half for emotional support and half just to make sure Kotomi didn’t try to bolt again. But as the door began to open, the two of them straightened out. Kotomi felt her knees shaking, as she realized that this really,  _ truly  _ it. 

Three years ended tonight. Right now. 

_ Don’t cry in front of them, don’t…!  _ Her eyes lit up when she saw their silhouettes, tears already blurred her vision. She looked to Momoi, her anxiety over confessing her little deception now disappeared. But when she turned her head, the pink-haired girl was already ahead of her.

“Tetsu-kuun!” Momoi wailed as she threw herself at a figure obscured by the servants blocking the entrance. Kotomi giggled and ran over to follow her best friend, but she stopped dead in her tracks, stomach going cold when she saw them.

“Momoi-san, we’re home.” Kuroko looked relatively the same, but his voice was deeper and he had definitely gained quite a bit of muscle.

“Shit, Satsuki move, I can’t wait to put all this crap down.” Aomine no longer had that boyish charm and sunshine smile. His smirk was far more...weighed down was the only way she could describe it.

“Take a shower first, fool. You smell like death.” Midorima’s voice was colder, and his posture was rigid, like he was tensed enough to snap right in half.

“I wanna eat…Sa-chin, where’s the food?” Kotomi strained her neck to look up at Murasakibara, as he  _ still  _ towered over his now  _ much  _ taller friends. He was built like a building, broad shouldered even with his poor posture. 

“Never mind that, we’re home, guys!” Kise had lost most of his baby far around his cheeks. He was no longer a cute, boyish model, but slim-faced and lean, like the kind she would see in a fancy magazine in Akashi’s father’s office. 

“We’re home.” Akashi was currently turned away, discussing something with the head butler, but Kotomi could see the same changes in him as the others. 

In these last 3 years, Kotomi and Momoi had changed quite a bit too. Momoi had gained an incredible figure, her adorable baby cheeks slimmed somewhat while maintaining a youthful, classically beautiful face. Kotomi noted with incredible irritation from time to time the size of Momoi’s chest. It seemed almost criminal to have that much cleavage to oneself. She was best described as an angel, a beauty with no blemishes and knew no time. 

Kotomi, on the other hand, had graduated from looking like a doll, having also lost some of her baby fat around her cheeks. She sported quite the figure as well, sculpted and firm, but with wider hips and thighs than Momoi due to all the squatting she did while sparring. She wasn’t flat-chested, but it certainly wasn’t anything to write home to, either. She wasn’t without her battle scars either, sporting one here and there from her many training sessions. Kotomi had a wildness to her that Momoi lacked, despite both of them still knowing how to behave as wards of the Akashi family. 

But the boys…or rather, the young  _ men  _ standing before them were on another level. They were all much, much taller. That was the first thing the two girls noticed. Kotomi felt proud of the 4 inches she had grown, but even then Kotomi’s favorite purple giant towered over her, even more so than when they were 13. They were bulkier, too. The 3 years of physical training had done wonders for them. Lithe, but powerful bodies primed for combat. But Kotomi felt unsettled. 

No. 

She was being paranoid. She knew they would be different when they returned, so she was overanalyzing them. She was just misreading them. They were still her boys.

“Kotomi…?” Six pairs of eyes turned to the dark-haired girl, and she jolted and looked them over one more time, cornflower blue irises in full display. She realized that while Momoi had been exchanging hugs and warm welcomes, she was standing dumbstruck. The way their eyes seemed to brighten lifted Kotomi’s dampened spirit. Kise stepped forward. His sunshine had too been diminished, despite his bright smile. He opened his arms for her and beckoned to her as he always did. 

“No way…!” He cried. “Is that really Kotomicchi? Look at you!” Looked her up and down, seeming awed. 

“You’re all grown up…!” 

_ See? You’re imagining it. _

“I’ll say…” Aomine looked her up and down, quite obviously pleased. 

_ You’ve just forgotten. It’s been so long, after all.  _

“Aomine, you’re absolutely vile.” Midorima’s voice contained more hostility than before, as if the green-haired teen was fighting back much worse. 

“What? There’s nothing wrong with admiring her hard work, right, Kotomi?” Aomine’s grin was less like a ray of sunshine and more like a maelstrom.

_ They’re still the people you’ve always known. _

“He’s right though, Koto-chin got sexy.” Murasakibara stated matter of factly, which earned a choked sound of indignation to bubble up in Midorima’s throat.

_ Just be happy they’re here again. _ Kotomi’s face heated up. She suddenly felt a pair of strong, warm hands envelope her in a hug. Kotommi felt a chill as it traveled down her spine. 

_ When did he get here...?  _

“Kotomicchi, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment…you’re so warm, and soft, you smell the same as you did before we left.” One of Kise’s hands came up to caress a lock of her hair. It was the same as always.

“Kise-kun, you’re bothering Kotomi-chan.” Kuroko had yet to push Momoi away, but his eyes were trained intensely on Kise and Kotomi, and more specifically on where Kise’s hands were. 

Why wasn’t it the same?

“Please let her go.” 

“Eh? But…” His arms tightened around her slightly, and his voice strained like Kuroko’s demand choked him. 

“Ryota.” Kise tensed and immediately removed his hands, to both Kotomi and Momoi’s astonishment, though he kept one hand around her shoulder to keep here where she was. The previously silent Akashi Seijurou moved from his spot and approached Kotomi with a smile. If it weren’t for Kise there, she would have taken a step back. 

The red-head looked down at her with a fond smile, replacing Kise’s hand with his own as he took a lock of her hair and brought it to his lips. His one golden eye reflected her own bewildered expression back at her. 

“It is true, you both have grown to be so lovely. We’ve missed you. I’m so moved to return home, and I’m happy to announce that we’ve kept our promise.” Kotomi swallowed something bitter. 

_I didn’t make that promise with you._ She bit down on the inside of her cheek to avoid saying something so outrageous. She swallowed her pervasive thoughts and looks at the floors, releasing a shaky exhale. Midorima raised a brow, seeming concerned. 

“Are you alright?” He asked, his voice suddenly quite gentle compared to the hostile tone he used with his fellow soldiers. 

“Kotomicchi, you look pale all of a sudden.” Kise worried. Momoi looked concerned as well, but she knew a little more about what could be causing such anxiety. Kise pushed back her bangs to feel her forehead while he pursed his lips. She glanced up at the redhead, and by Akashi’s expression she knew that he might have an inkling as to what was making her so antsy. 

“You don’t have a fever…” 

“I understand if you’re overwhelmed.” Akashi practically crooned to her as he took her hand in his and stroked the back of it with his thumb and smiled serenely. 

_ So perceptive… _ His imagined purr caused a ripple in her spine. 

Kotomi shut her eyes. This is what she wanted. This is all she has wanted for the last three years.  _ Don’t ruin it for yourself.  _ Kotomi quickly lifted her head and smiled. 

“I’m sorry, I just…I can’t believe you’re here. It feels like a dream…” Kise looked like he wanted to jump her again, but Akashi’s presence at her side prevented it. 

“Are you sure? You can rest if you need to,” Kuroko asked, seeming unconvinced. Kotomi shook her head frantically.

_ You’re being so selfish,  _ she chided herself.  _ They’re returned from war and you’re not happy to see them?  _ She looked for something to excuse her behavior.

“I actually…I’ve been so excited I haven’t eaten since last night.” It wasn’t a lie, but rather something she realized just now. They all stared at her. 

“…” 

_ “WHAT!?”  _ Even Momoi shouted this. 

“Koto-chan, it’s almost been 24 hours! And you were out all day! You didn’t eat anything?” 

“A-Ahahaha...I forgot...?” She scratched her cheek.

“Kotomi-cchi, you’re shaking!” Kise held her hands in his, and Kotomi looked down at how the slender digits of her fingers trembled in his.

“Idiot, how do you forget to eat?” Aomine asked. Even he sounded concerned with that slow, lazy drawl she was still getting used to. 

“It’s good to be hard working, but this is just careless. What are you even doing that makes you forget about eating?” Midorima sounded like he was asking a question more than he was nagging.

“Koto-chin, I’ll feed you, okay?” 

“She can eat by herself, Murasakibara-kun…” Kotomi visibly relaxed as Kise led her to the dining room, the others close behind. Her lips turned up in a smile as she realizes that while much has changed about them, they were still her friends. Change was hard, but it was doable, right?

She turned to Akashi, who wasn’t following them. 

“Are you coming, Sei-kun?” Their entourage paused when she asked this, but Akashi smiled the way he used to, as if he was waiting for her to ask. She felt her cheeks warm in a nostalgic way. Her heart stirred and skipped a beat, as well. 

“I’m sure my father is waiting for me to greet him, so I’ll join you all later. Just enjoy your time together.” 

“You guys will be here for a while, right?” 

“Yes, we have an assignment here, so after the break we’ll be here a little while longer than others.” Kotomi nodded, unsure of how to feel about the news. She wanted to ask what their assignment was, but Kise lost his patience and pushed her along again, gushing about her hair and how long it’s gotten. So she shook off the fear and anxiety, the anxious expression Momoi shot her, and the uneasy shivers Akashi’s golden eye sent her.

Everything was fine.

* * *

[ 1 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&hid=wEuy5cVxQ0CpQYpsGEIzzw.0&wopisrc=https://wopi.onedrive.com/wopi/files/CD159322515E6F5A!1453&wdorigin=OFFICECOM-WEB.START.MRU&wdo=2&wde=docx&sc=host=&qt=#footnote1back) Kotori AKA 小鳥 ことり- “little bird” 

[ 2 ](https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&hid=wEuy5cVxQ0CpQYpsGEIzzw.0&wopisrc=https://wopi.onedrive.com/wopi/files/CD159322515E6F5A!1453&wdorigin=OFFICECOM-WEB.START.MRU&wdo=2&wde=docx&sc=host=&qt=#footnote2back) This could denote an extreme sense of closeness or disrespect in Japanese culture, depending on the context. In this context, obviously, it’s positive. It’s on the level of family, close friends, and even lovers. Not to mention, Oikawa didn’t call her by his nickname for her.


	5. Changing With the Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to do this eloquently, but there's no other way to describe this other than:
> 
> "Shit hits the fan: Slowly"

* * *

Everything was _not_ fine. Far from it. The furthest extreme from ‘fine.’ Fine was an unknown, unreachable concept the entirety of the week Kotomi spent with her long-awaited best friends.

As of now, Kotomi groaned just recalling it as she hid her face. She sat under the tree with Oikawa and Iwaizumi sitting on either side of her, while Kuroo and Bokuto sat across from her. They looked a range of worried and sympathetic, furrowed brows and tight lips out in varying degrees of intensity.

“It must have been a lot of work. I’ve never seen you complain so much.” Iwaizumi commented, letting Kotomi tip over sideways and lean on his shoulder.

“It was _awful._ ” She moaned. Oikawa chewed thoughtfully and silently on a cookie and touched his shoulder to hers as wordless support. Ever since she saved Iwaizumi, it was as if the ice separating them melted.

Now, at age 16, Oikawa Tooru was clingy, whiny and fussy if Kotomi couldn’t come by for any reason. He was also typically incredibly talkative; so today, his silence was strange. Kotomi liked to think it was because he was giving her a chance to vent.

“You wouldn’t stop talking about how excited you were to see them again, I can’t believe it didn’t go well!” Bokuto said, his voice thick with emotion. Kotomi’s and stared at the ground in half-lidded sadness.

In response, Kuroo nudged his best friend with a raised brow and gestured to a downtrodden Kotomi as if to say: ‘Well? Do something!’ Bokuto made a strangled hooting sound before he stretched his hands out to her.

“B-but, you know! Maybe it’s their fault! They’ve probably changed a lot, huh?” With a loud grunt, Kuroo slapped a hand to his forehead.

“Dude, you’re not helping.” Iwaizumi pushed Kotomi’s hair behind her ear, neatly tucking it away. Kotomi leaned into his hand, which softened Iwaizumi’s ever-present steely expression. He tapped her cheek with his fingers before he pulled away.

“S-Sorry! I just...” Bokuto whine and shut his eyes while pressing a finger to his temple.

“No, you’re right…” Kotomi admitted. “I was naïve. I thought things would be able to go back to normal once they came back, but I underestimated what they all went through.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a little hope here and there, “ Kuroo spoke up, which earned him an upward turn of Kotomi’s lips. “That’s what I like most about you, little bird~” But the relief was too transient, as Kotomi felt another worry bubble to the surface.

“I just…something doesn’t feel…right.” This caused the three of them – excluding Oikawa—to look at her with some confusion. One by one, Kotomi met each of their gazes, apprehension registering in the girl’s eyes before she took a deep breath and retold the events of her friends’ return that night.

* * *

** At the Party, 1 Week Ago **

“Are you still shaking, Kotomi-chan?” Kotomi shook her head and smiled politely at the bluenette, whose expression remained mainly impassive. Ironically, he was the easiest to read among the lot of them thus far.

“I guess I really did overdo it, today. All I could think about was tonight.” She picked at a thin slice of beef; despite not having eaten, Kotomi couldn’t find the stomach for the feast before her. When she thought of her rebel friends, she wanted to eat even less and just give it to them to bring home.

“That’s not enough, Koto-chin,” Murasakibara complained while he leaned over across the table toward her. He held out his chopsticks, which had fried chicken wedged in between them. He smiled childishly, in that adorable way she knew so well.

“You should eat more. I’ll be really angry if you starve yourself~” Kotomi giggled and nodded, opening her mouth and leaning forward as well. Kuroko tensed, and Kise stopped bickering with Aomine over the last bit of potato in his soup to gape. Momoi, who was sitting beside Kuroko, turned pink and covered her mouth.

“Wait.” Kotomi turned her head to the bespectacled young man, who glared at Murasakibara from across the table. Murasakibara didn’t move his chopsticks away. His brow furrowed, and his grip tightened on the wooden sticks, which looked closer to long toothpicks in his massive hands.

“What?” He asked, already incensed.

“Fujisaki has not left the city since she came here as a child. You’ve been outside exposed to who knows how many diseases and bacteria out there. You can’t casually share food and utensils with her like that.” 

“But I take medicine and I’m not sick. She won’t get sick, either.” Midorima audibly clicked his tongue in irritaiton.

“That’s not how the immune system works. Put it down.” Murasakibara quite literally growled, Midorima’s eyes narrowed, and Kotomi returned Momoi’s alarmed expression. They both thought the same thing.

_Did they always get along this poorly?_ Murasakibara was indisputably childish, but he was typically sweet and listened well. Midorima was strict but respectful, only looking out for the best interests of his friends around him.

At least, they _had_ been at one point. But this tension in the air, and the looks the two gave each other were foreign. There was so much hostility. Kotomi looked to her other friends for help. Kise looked concerned, but Aomine was scratching his ear and yawning while Kuroko stared at his food with resignation etched clearly into his apathetic disposition.

“We checked out, don’t worry, Kotomi-san…” Kuroko responded to her concern.

“I wasn’t really worried about _that...”_ Across from her, the tension only escalated.

“Mido-chin, you’re just pissed because you’re too scared of being nice to Koto-chin. It’s no wonder she hates you.”

“Mukkun!”

“Murasakibara...” Midorima seethed through grit teeth. Kotomi’s mouth fell open to gape. His face went red in both embarrassment and anger. Momoi left Kuroko’s side to stop Midorima from standing up.

Kotomi’s eyes immediately searched for the red-headed heir, only to find his usual seat at the head of the table empty. Akashi had greeted them and immediately departed for his father’s office.

Akashi Masaomi had always been distant with the children who lived under his roof and even with his own son, especially after his wifes’ death. But she hadn’t expected him to call Akashi to his office when he should be reuniting with his friends.

Kise finally stepped in, his fake liveliness augmenting his voice just a decibel too loud.

“H-Hey, Kotomicchi! Tell us, how is your training as a medic going?” Cornflower blue shot up to meet golden brown honey. She appreciated the late assistance, but she so dearly wished Kise had chosen a different topic.

Suddenly, all eyes were on her, again. She tried in vain to silently plead with Momoi, but the young woman merely glanced away, giving her a pointed look.

_Now’s a good time to bring it up, isn’t it? Do your best!_ Kotomi wanted to slam her head into the dining table and knock her self out.

“It’s…good. Really good.” Kotomi admitted, her smile grew more genuine and less forced, as it always did when she talked about work. She was able to help the people she cared about, even if it wasn’t Kuroko and the others right away, like she had expected. It was those skills that made her useful to Oikawa and the others, and what brought them together as friends.

“I think I’m really good at it.” _At everything about it._

“And I want to keep doing my best and keep aiming to make a difference.” _And I don’t want to stop here._

“Lots of people have helped me so I can make an effort as well.” _I have a way to stay by your side._

“I’m really glad to hear that, Kotomi-chan.” Kuroko smiled softly. Everyone but Momoi had similar expressions.

“What medical sector will you work in?” Midorima asked, to which Kotomi responded by trying not to make a face at the dreaded question. Her palms felt sweaty as she tried to salvage what was left of her fleeing confidence.

“I bet pediatrics, right? Kotomicchi is good with kids! Or maybe she’ll work at the nursing home?”

“That’s a nurse. It’s not the same track, Kise-kun. Maybe Kotomi would work in the trauma sector.” Kuroko suggested. “It must be really rewarding work.”

“No-yes, you’re right. I’m sure it’s rewarding work, but that’s not where I am.” She struggled to find the best way to open the proverbial can of worms. If she tried to push it off, they might try to look into it themselves.

 _No time like the present. Rip the bandaid off._ So she took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders and puffed out her chest as she spoke loudly and clearly, relieved that her voice didn’t waver.

“I’m not assigned to an on-site sector. I’m going to be an on-field medic for Warzone 13 with you guys.” Almost immediately, the harsh scraping of several chairs echoed through the dining hall. Kotomi flinched and shut her eyes, steeling her nerves before she opened them again.

Midorima, Aomine, and Kuroko were all standing with tensed, angry, and horrified expressions, respectively. Food fell from Murasakibara’s chopsticks, uneaten. Kise was sitting in shock, eyes wide.

“No.” Kuroko’s voice was firm and final, so unlike him.

“That will not be happening.” Midorima agreed, fixing his glasses. They had almost fallen off in his haste to physically object.

“Uwah, Koto-chin, when did you become stupid?” Murasakibara asked gruffly, stabbing a piece of his spread with his chopsticks. Kotomi bristled at the condescension, emphasized by her furrowed brow.

“I’m not stupid. I’ve worked really hard to get this far.”

“Koto-chan has been working really hard while you guys were away. You can ask Aida-san and Garcia-san at the facility, she’s better than anyone! You know, she even--“ Kotomi shot Momoi a look. Now was not a good time to bring up what she did about the bomb incident.

“Kotomicchi, you don’t know what you’re agreeing to.” Kise’s voice was strained again, as if he were holding back more. Luckily, Aomine was there to explode on his behalf.

“You must have fucking lost your mind while we were gone. We don’t need you out there, so don’t bother!” Kotomi shook her head and bit her trembling lip. She knew they wouldn’t be happy, but the outright denial made her feel more like a burden.

“It’s already final. I’m going.” She retorted, as she knew she could be helpful.

“Kotomi-chan, we’ve been to Warzone 13, we’re the ones that cleared it. It’s not safe for you there.” Kuroko pleaded to her.

“If you cleared it then I have faith I’ll be fine.”

“ _Faith_ won’t get you anywhere.” Kise insisted. “Nothing is guaranteed out there. You don’t need to worry about a thing outside of the Citadel, you can still help here!”

“That’s not good enough, I want to…no, I _need_ to do more.” Kotomi said this with certainty, but she still refused to look at any of them. Her eyes remained trained on her lap.

“I’ve worked with injuries from all kinds of situations, under different circumstances.” Granted, the two conditions were isolated from one another, as patch-up sessions for Oikawa and the guys and simulations with the people at in the medical sector, respectively.

“I can help. And I will. And there’s nothing you can do to stop me, so don’t make such a scene.” It was wishful thinking, but at this point, Kotomi was grasping at straws to keep control of the situation.

“Hell no. We’re strong enough that we don’t need a medic. You’ll just be a nuisance.” Aomine growled. Kotomi twitched, and then finally looked up. Her expression was calm. So calm, in fact, that he was the one who was taken aback. Had this been three years ago, maybe she would have cried. But they weren’t not the only ones to have grown.

“Then I definitely won’t have to worry about a thing, won’t I?”

 _BAM!_ Everyone’s head snapped to Kise, whose voice was tight in his throat. He slowly slipped the fist he slammed under the table again.

“You’re underestimating this, Kotomicchi. Since when have you talked like this? Don’t you trust us?” Kotomi clenched her fists, wondering why their words were irritating her like this. Momoi took the pregnant pause as a chance to stand up, hands raised for peacemaking.

“Okay, guys! Let’s talk about this another time.”

“No,” Aomine pushed. “You’re not going.”

“It’s not up to you.” Kotomi responded as she stared ahead. “I don’t have to answer to you.” Oddly enough, the more hostile they became, the less she worried about their concerns on the matter. She wondered when it was that she became so defiant?

It was her only advantage in this current predicament, as the pressure in the room threatened to crush her. Suddenly, Aomine vaulted over the food to the opposite side of the table in the blink of an eye.

Kotomi slowly raised her head and stared with intent as he glowered down at Kotomi. Royal blue sparked against its lighter colored opponent.

“Hmm,” He drawled lazily, feigning intrigue, but his irritation was clear as day. “You’ve gotten even cheekier without anyone to put you in your place.” Kotomi’s mouth twitched downwards.

“I don’t _have_ a place for you to put me in. I decide where I go.” Aomine scoffed.

“Being cheeky won’t protect you from the scum out there. You think a pretty, tiny thing like you can protect yourself from guys like me? “ He suddenly snatched her by the collar of her sweater and tugged her upwards. The heels of her feet just hovered above the ground as he pulled her closer. A chilling smirk spread across his lips.

“In fact, your feisty little mouth makes me want to have my way with you right now.” Kotomi swallowed hard, her expression wavering. He had a point. Even so, she wasn’t going to back down, even if she didn’t have an answer.

“Aomine!” Kotomi only faintly heard Midorima’s outrage, and she felt hands pry the two apart. Kuroko used a sharp tone with Aomine, who merely shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged innocently.

“I was being honest.” The navy-blue haired teen watched Kotomi for her response, eyes unapologetic.

_It’s like what Oikawa did to me. He’s trying to intimidate me._ She concluded, not letting her show any sign of being perturbed by his actions and words. But she felt a beat of sweat form at her temple and tickle her heated skin as it traveled downward. She merely narrowed her gaze.

“You wouldn’t. You’re not like that.” Aomine’s eyes widened again, and maybe for a moment his expression softened just a little, but it soon hardened again as he scoffed and fell back into a chair with his arms crossed.

“Fine. Have it your way.” He grumbled. Kotomi calmly pushed her hair behind her ear, making her way toward the door.

“Koto-chan?” Momoi called in a weak voice, almost pleading.

“I’m tired, after all, I think I need to go to bed.”

“Fujisaki! We’re not done talking about this.” Midorima called after her, but Kotomi turned her head to snap at him. However, the words never got to leave her mouth.

“No, Shintaro, we’re not.” Kotomi’s stomach dropped as all eyes in the room turned toward the origins of the smooth, silky voice. Akashi stood in the way of Kotomi’s exit, and looked down at her with a serene, unreadable expression.

“Akashicchi!”

“How much did you hear?” Midorima asked, now calm which tested Kotomi’s composure. He was calm because he thought that Akashi would be able to tell her what to do, didn’t he? No matter how much she glared, no one was going to answer and she knew it.

“Enough.” The redhead answered back.

“Akashi-kun, please speak to Kotomi-chan.” Kuroko requested. Kotomi shot Kuroko a glare as well, but found herself unable to look Akashi in the eye. That splash of gold amongst all his crimson made her stomach ache, but she felt a gentle pressure underneath her chin that coaxed her to look up.

“Kotomi…”

“Did your father tell you?” Kotomi felt ridiculous even asking. Of course he did. He probably knew and just chose not to do anything about it. Because he knew he could leave the issue to his son, as he always did.

“He felt that allowing you to make your own decisions would foster your growth, and he encouraged your career as a medic. And I agree. I can see that you’ve made so much growth. I’m very impressed.” He smiled at her, but she felt no comfort or pride.

“So let me-” Akashi pressed a finger to her lips; his expression tender, but chilling.

“But what I can’t agree with is you coming with us. The others are correct. That world is not a place for someone like you. And unlike Daiki, I _can_ ensure that you will stay here.” Kotomi opened her mouth to protest yet again, but what he said next had her question dying in her throat and birthing a new one.

“Besides, your future has already been decided.” Akashi smiled at this, almost excitedly, gleefully, as if he was expecting her to rejoice at the news. “Father has decided that you’ll become my fiancé. An Akashi.”

** Present Day **

“ ** _FIANCE!?”_** Iwaizumi covered his ears as Bokuto screeched. Kuroo sat there with a dumbfounded expression. Oikawa’s expression had darkened considerably. Bokuto stood up, throwing his fists in the air as if he wished to fight the sun.

“That Aomine guy is no good! And who the hell does this Akashi guy think he is!? He can’t just decide shit like that!”

“He can,” Iwaizumi said calmly, but the vein in his temple was pounding, and his fists were tightly clenched.

“I’m basically owned by the Akashi family, since I was taken in by them.” Kotomi explained, pulling her knees closer to her chest as she sighed. “It’s never felt that way until now, though.”

“You can’t marry him!” Bokuto roared.

“It doesn’t sound like you to be a trophy wife, little bird.” Kuroo said lightheartedly, but Kotomi knew by the flexing of his forearm that he was angry. Kotomi laughed without humor, nodding.

“No, I don’t think it sounds like me either. But…they’re not giving me a choice.”

“Komi-chan,” Bokuto called her by his newfound nickname, having insisted upon it upon learning that Momoi already called her Koto-chan, “What’s with these friends? I thought you said they were good people! What kind of good guy forces a girl to marry him!”

“I don’t know…I don’t know who these people are. Not completely, at least. Especially Seijuro. It doesn’t make sense but,” she brought her knees to her chest and clenched her fists, bunching up the fabric of her pants. “I think he’s not himself.” 

“Then come with us.” Kotomi’s eyes found a previously silent Oikawa, who glanced at her from the side before he stood up and stepped out of the shade of the tree to look up into the sky.

“What…?” She asked faintly.

“Come to where we are. Run away from them and come with us, live with us.” He repeated.

“Hey, hey, hey! That sounds like a good idea! The best idea!” Bokuto cried, throwing his fists into the air.

“But, I-“

“Oya, to have little bird beside us all the time, don’t wake me from this dream~” Kuroo sighed dreamily. Kotomi looked to Iwaizumi, who merely nodded and offered a rare smile, and then back at Oikawa. He was now facing her head on, chocolate brown eyes intense; the light from the sun illuminated his silhouette, and for a moment Kotomi found herself considering it.

“I’d never tie you down like that.” Oikawa insisted. “We know better than anyone that you’re meant to be free. So fly with us, Kotori-chan.” He offered her a hand. Kotomi bit her lip.

“I can’t. I can’t leave them.” She answered. Bokuto squawked in disbelief and gaped at her.

“What? But you just said-”

“We’re adjusting,” Kotomi interrupted Bokuto, hand raised. “I’m touched, but you can’t just whisk me away from my home to a place that you _still_ won’t tell me about.” At this, Oikawa flinched and lowered his hands. The others felt the guilt of their secrecy as well. Kotomi crossed her arms and kicked at loose dirt.

“Just because I don’t ask, doesn’t mean that I’m not aware of our positions. It isn’t that I don’t trust that your people are safe, but will they trust that _I’m_ safe?” She asked, and she knew by their silence that whereas Momoi was at least aware of their existence, Kotomi was still a complete secret to her friends’ loved ones.

“So, you’d rather take your chances becoming this Seijurou guy’s dutiful wife?” Oikawa crossed his arms and turned his back on her.

“I’d rather take my chances on trying to understand my friends and the trauma they went through.” Kotomi crossed her arms as well, eyeing the green grass with dejection. She couldn’t just give up on them because of a fight.

“They’re still in there,” She assured everyone, including herself. “I just have to find them again, that’s all.”

* * *

**Akashi Manor, 1 Week Earlier**

“Marry you?” Kotomi repeated faintly, having to sit back down. Kise talked about marrying her all the time, of course, but she never took him too seriously. But Akashi was dead serious. He didn’t seem at all surprised by her lack of jubilation. In fact, it seemed like he expected it. It took all about 5 seconds for everyone else to react as well.

“Oi! Akashi, I didn’t hear about this!” Aomine snarled, standing up from his seat. Murasakibara kicked a chair into the wall, breaking off one of its legs. Kuroko looked paler than normal, but his eyes blazed with shock and anger as he pursed lips tightly.

“Akashi, when were you planning to tell us?” Midorima was the calmest, but he gripped the foldable fan, his Lucky Item, so tightly it looked painful.

“You’re all my precious family, I thought we could all gather and celebrate this occasion together.” Akashi held his hand out for Kotomi to take it. When she grimaced at his hand and made no move, he chuckled softly.

“Daiki is right. That feistiness of yours is quite lovely.”

“You can’t just decide my future like this.” Kotomi spoke through gritted teeth as her composure crumbled beneath Akashi’s intense stare. She always felt more exposed when she was with Akashi, and his intimidation was extra potent tonight.

“I can. Don’t misunderstand, I am also putting your future into consideration, of course. You were raised by my family; so you have the proper etiquette, your scores have always been at least second in our class, and you inherently possess all the proper skills of a fine medic, which mean you have the makings of an excellent career path within the Citadel. You don’t belong anywhere except the side of those who win, Kotomi. And no one wins more than I do.”

“Just who _are_ you, anyway…?” Kotomi sounded sick as she looked to every face in the room. She realized with a chill down her spine that she almost didn’t recognize any of them. 

“What a silly question to ask, my dear fiancé.” Akashi brought a hand to his chest and smiled eerily: his heterochromatic gaze of crimson and gold sucked the breath from Kotomi’s lungs.

“I am Akashi Seijurou.” After a moment, Kotomi suddenly bolted from the room, so fast she almost stumbled on a raised part of the carpet before disappearing down the hallways.

“Koto-chan!” She heard Momoi call after her, but she didn’t stop. She ran straight for her room and slammed the door behind her, where she childishly kicked and stomped once she was in private, before she finally collapsed in front of the door and hugged her knees while rocking back and forth. Kotomi eventually fell asleep like that, a single tear slipping from her eye and onto her lap.

A few hours later, she was awoken to the sound of knocking at her door. It took her a few minutes to acclimate herself to reality as she slowly stood up and turned to the door. Her hand hovered over the knob for a solid 10 seconds, but eventually she found the courage to open it.

She suspected it to be Momoi checking in on her after she stormed out. Her apology was already on her lips, but it was quick to die when she spotted not one, but two young men standing outside her door.

“Tetsuya…Ryota…” The bluenette and blonde stood there quite sheepishly, both dressed in their pajamas. Kuroko was in his t-shirt and blue gym shorts, while Kise wore a green and white striped sweater with gray sweatpants.

“Kotomicchi…sorry to bother you.” He sounded tired, like he had been crying up until now.

“I actually just woke up…I’m sorry.” She said, letting the ensuing silence rest before she suddenly bowed her head to them. They both jumped when Kotomi bowed her head to them. “It was supposed to be a welcome back party for you, but I went ahead and made it all about myself.”

“No, Kotomicchi! We-“

“It was troublesome to have brought that all up.” Kuroko cut Kise off, which caught the blonde off guard.

“Kurokocchi!” Kotomi didn’t flinch, nodding in agreement as she kept her head lowered.

“But after 3 years of missing you, I was really happy to see how much you’ve grown. You got stronger, standing up to Aomine-kun and Akashi-kun like that.” Kotomi popped up to find Kuroko looking at her with affectionate exasperation. She didn’t get a chance to notice earlier with all the commotion, but Kuroko now stood a few inches taller than her. He reached up to pet her head with a gentle curve of his lips. The gesture was enough to melt her heart.

“That’s right!” Kise reassured her. “Don’t worry about that stuff right now. What’s important is that we’re all together again, right? It was really tough without you, Kotomicchi.” He reached into his pocket and presented a worn, but familiar makeshift charm, the golden color faded slightly from having it rubbed so often. Biting her lip, Kotomi placed a hand over his and squeezed both him and the charm.

“You kept it…?” She looked to Kuroko as he produced his as well, equally as worn. Both of them smiled at her, and Kuroko’s soft turn of his lips and Kise’s bright grin made her realize that she had been the one who was being unfair.

Three years they spent apart. It would be strange if they hadn’t changed at all. She expected them to accept the things that changed about her, without considering their changes as well.

“Just like you said, we thought of you anytime we saw these, and it felt like you were there encouraging us.”

“Eh? Kotomicchi? Why are you crying!?” Kotomi touched her cheeks and realized they were wet. She sniffled and wiped at her face, giggling at her own foolishness.

“Kise-kun, what did you do?” Kuroko asked Kise with clear skepticism in his voice. It was hard to tell if the man was sarcastic or not.

“What!? Me?” Kotomi laughed again, not noticing how their cheeks darkened slightly in color. She threw herself into their arms, feeling them both place a hand on her to catch her. Kuroko’s was at the back of her head, and Kise’s between her shoulder blades. She nuzzled Kise’s chest affectionately, sighing softly.

“Ah, I missed that sound…so noisy, even though it’s so late at night.” She seemed quite content, which pleased both teens as they returned her hug, enveloping her in warmth and security. Someone ran their fingers through her hair.

“We should probably head to bed, now…” Kuroko didn’t sound too pleased about it, even if he was the one who suggested it. Kotomi opened her eyes, pursing her lips slightly as she looked up at both of them. Kise continued to stroke the hair at the middle of Kotomi’s back, running his fingers through it.

“Ah, but I could stay here forever like this…” The blonde hummed pleasantly.

“Can’t we sleep together?” Kotomi asked innocently.

“Hah…?” They both voiced their confusion in unison, Kise being the first to turn bright red. He waved his hand frantically. His eyes darted everywhere but in Kotomi’s direction as he shouted incoherently.

“K-K-Kotomicchi…! We, uh..haha…er…I-I mean, if you- I want to, that is to say-!” Kotomi tilted her head at him, brow furrowing as she tried to decipher his gibberish. Her face became crestfallen, brow relaxing and eyes finding the floor.

“Oh, I guess you guys are too old for that, huh…?” Kise sputtered as she played with a lock of her hair, twirling it and tugging lightly.

“Kotomi-chan…” Kuroko looked slightly uncomfortable, but there was something else lurking in the depths of powder blue irises. Kotomi couldn’t quite place it.

“Please be more careful how you phrase your questions.” After a moment of self-reflection, Kotomi’s face turned bright red as she gasped, shaking her head.

“N-No! I…I didn’t mean it like that! I just meant-! Like when we were kids! Mou, forget it!” Kotomi turned away, holding her cheeks. There’s was soft, sharp exhale, like a laugh.

“It’s okay. Let’s go to sleep.” The powder-blue haired boy finally said. Kise took her by the shoulders, leading her into the room.

“But you should put on pajamas first, Kotomicchi! Be comfortable!”

“Oh! Okay…”

“Kise-kun…please don’t be indecent…”

“Eh!? Kurokocchi, don’t look at me like I’m trash, I was going to wait outside!”

** Later **

“Are you comfortable, Kotomicchi?” Once she was in her pajamas, they settled into Kotomi’s bed. It was a tighter fit than their days as children. Kise’s feet were just short of dangling off the end. She faced Kuroko, one arm tucked under Kotomi’s body while the other rested on his chest. Kise was on her other side, much bigger than her, so she could feel the warmth of his body from the top her head down to her toes.

“Very…” Kotomi murmured. She felt Kuroko shift to face her as well: a hand reached up to push her hair behind her ear and cup her cheek affectionately. Though her vision was blurry, it was easy to make out the familiar silhouette. 

“It’s okay to sleep, Kotomi-chan…we’ll be here in the morning.” As if he could read her mind, he reassured her that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Mm…” Kise nuzzled the back of her neck, sighing himself. The bed shook and she felt Kise flinch and she suspected that Kuroko kicked Kise.

“Ow! Kurokocchi!”

“Keep your hands and face in respectable places, Kise-kun.”

“I am!”

“You are not.”

“I missed this so much,” Kotomi breathed. “Every day, I woke up and worked so hard so that I could fall asleep without realizing that you weren’t here…and now you’re back…” She nuzzled Kuroko happily, missing the way he tensed.

“When you’re okay to talk about it…tell me about what happened…when you went to war…” They must have thought she had fallen asleep, because she felt something soft and warm on her temple, and then another on her fingers, before she faintly heard their reply.

“We did what we had to do, and that’s all you need to know…”

“We’d do anything for you, Kotomi-chan.” Kotomi wished she could have woken up right then to ask them what they meant.

** Morning, The Next Day **

“Kotomicchi, where are you going...?” Kotomi jumped a little, hand still on the doorknob as she turned to face a slowly waking Kise.

“I was going to go study under the tree…” Actually, she was planning to give the leftovers from the party to Oikawa and the others take home, but last night’s events suggested that it wasn’t quite time to meet yet. The bliss lasted up until she woke up before reality came crashing down on her that she was going to find some way out of the marriage and some way into Warzone 13.

“Eh…? It’s so early in the morning…” Kise whined, Kuroko just starting to stir. “Plus, you shouldn’t go out, we just came back after all.”

“I’ll be back soon, I just have to look over some procedures and I won’t be able to concentrate here.”

“Notes? You’re not going to need them.” There was a pregnant pause as Kotomi realized what he meant by that.

“So...you agree with everyone else?” Kise nodded, sighing dramatically.

“But that was too much drama for the night, seriously…right, Kurokocchi?”

“Mm…Kise-kun, shut up a little please. It’s very early…” Kise puffed his cheeks out indignantly before he looked at Kotomi again, opening his arms. He smiled radiantly.

“Just come back and let’s sleep some more, okay?” Kotomi sighed, pushing some hair behind her ear…before she threw the door open and dashed down the hallway, ignoring Kise’s shocked cry of betrayal.

“Kotomicchi!”

_Sorry, not sorry!_ Kotomi thought, amused. But as soon as she was rounding the corner, she slammed right into a hard mass. The impact was so solid and sudden that it knocked the air right out of her chest, but a pair of arms caught her by the waist and forearm.

“Fujisaki!” Midorima was looking down at her, stunned and cradling his chest. There was a little bit of pride in knowing that she had gained enough muscle to make him feel the impact of her body. But then Kotomi blinked a few times, glancing down at their positioning. The bespectacled teen grunted and pulled her upright before he sighed, holding up a book of poems to bop her on the head with it.

“Don’t run in the hallways so carelessly, you could have gotten hurt.”

_As if a little bump like this could compare what Iwaizumi and Oikawa do during training..._ Kotomi thought with a shiver before she shook her head. She maneuvered around him, planning to continue her fast walk to the kitchen to retrieve the leftovers she instructed the maids to leave in the storage room.

“Wait.” Kotomi stopped and glanced back who pushes his glasses up his nose. He held up the poem book, refusing to make eye contact with her. “Where are you going, so early?”

“I’m going out to study.” Midorima scoffed and Kotomi got a bad feeling that she wasn’t going to be able to just walk away.

“Fool. Libras have the worst luck today. If you simply must go out, you should carry your Lucky Item around. It’s an orange lily. I can help you find one.” Kotomi raised a brow.

“Oh, um, that’s alright. I’m in a bit of a hurry—”

“Your health and well-being is not something that should be hurried.” He marched over and took her hand. He pulled gently as if she were glass, though his taped fingers were clamped around her smaller wrist like a handcuff.

“Wait, Shintaro!” He led her out to the garden behind the property, releasing her only then. Before she continued her protest, she noticed the tea set surrounded by varying kinds of bread, jams, and fruit waiting on a silver tray under the shaded awning of the backyard. Kotomi glanced up at him to see that the tips of his ears were bright red. Kotomi covered her mouth to hide her teasing grin.

“You’re so cute…you could have just said you prepared breakfast for us.” A choked splutter ripped from his throat as his head snapped away from her gaze.

“You didn’t eat enough before running off like a petulant child. A-And last night’s events occurred because you didn’t have your Lucky Item for the day, which was a pair of pink spotted socks. This is an efficient way of handling both problems so nothing like yesterday happens again.”

“Yes, yesterday was...unlucky. For a lot of reasons.” She wasn’t sure if he knew that she was also talking about the marriage, but Midorima stiffened. He murmured something about the location of the lily bed somewhere in the garden.

“Many unreasonable things occurred last night. But the most unreasonable one was you. You seem intent on belittling what we went through by putting yourself in a situation you don’t need to be in.”

Kotomi deflated, unable to argue with that. She couldn’t possibly understand what they went through and she could see how ignorant she looked from their perspective. Kotomi clenched her fists and bit her lower lip, brow furrowed.

“I’m sorry, that wasn’t my intention.” Midorima watched her from the corner of his eyes, slowing his intense search.

“I know, and I understand your desire to try and make yourself useful, but you should mind your words; the others have suffered too deeply to understand.” Her heart lurched at this. She glanced at the breakfast as she realized she wasn’t the only one who wanted to feel normal again. Oikawa didn’t usually come around until later in the day, so she could spend a few hours with Midorima.

“Well, I can’t eat all this by myself, so why don’t we find a proper lily and then treat ourselves to some breakfast?” The tension around them finally cleared. There was time to argue about this later, even if the both of them seemed certain about their stances on the mattter.

Kotom folded her arms behind her back and walked amongst the blossoms, scanning the area. Other than collecting a few blossoms here and there for her makeshift remedies, this place was a bittersweet symbol for her.

“It’s been a while since I’ve taken a stroll here.” She commented wistfully. Midorima was examining each lily he found with the intensity of a scientists on the verge of discovery while he spoke to her.

“You didn’t come while we were gone?”

“I already missed you, I didn’t want to start missing Shiori-san, too. She was the closest thing to a mother that I can remember, so it’s a little painful at times.”

”...Hn...”

“Do you remember your mother, Shintaro?” There was a long pause before Midorima answered.

“I do.”

“What was she like?”

”...A lot like Shiori-san. Perhaps a bit quieter.” Kotomi hummed curiously, smiling at the thought of a beautiful woman with Shintaro’s features and the kind and gentle Shiori’s personality. But she just ended up imagining Midorima with long hair, which made her giggle to herself.

“Here.” Midorima’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts as her turned her head with one hand, allowing him to slip the brightest of the blossoms behind her ear with the other. Kotomi immediately reached up to brush her fingers against the blossom.

“Does it suit me?” She asked playfully while looking up at him. He paused and stared at her much longer than she thought he would. His expression was unreadable, but suddenly he ran his taped fingers through the stray locks that clung to his fingers, each individual strand slipping through his digits like water, and leaving behind the faint scent of roses.

“Shintaro…?” After just another momemt, he finally retracted his hand and turned to the food he had the maids prepare.

“Let’s have breakfast.” He retreated back to the table, sitting down with Kotomi right behind him, still fingering the lily. She pursed her lips as she briefly recalled the way her heart pounded just a little faster than before.

But soon she forgot about it, choosing to just live in the moment with him. It was a lovely day, and it was quiet…she sipped at her tea in the peace. At least this was familiar. Kotomi closed her eyes and listened to the birds, the breeze, and the sounds of the manor slowly stirring to life.

Time with Midorima was always so serene. She heard the sound of pages turning, which brought her attention to the poetry book Midorima was reading. By the wear and tear of the book, she put together that it was the same one she gave him right before he left. Kotomi giggled softly, which made Midorima’s pink warm cheeks to a pinkish rosy color.

“W-what are you laughing at?”

“I was just thinking that Shintaro is still so cute.” He turned even redder and he huffed indignantly.

“And you still have a penchant for speaking like a fool.”

“Aw, so mean.” She joked, but it made Midorima twitch, as if the memory he recalled pricked him. “Fujisaki...do you...ever feel hurt by what I say to you?” Kotomi looked up from the jam she was spreading on a croissant with a surprised raise of her brows and parted lips.

“Hm...? Not particularly. You’ve always had a rough way of speaking, so I don’t take any of it to heart. But if you think that is the case, why not just speak more kindly?” She glanced at Midorima to watch his reaction, which was a blend of serious consideration and anxiety. His intensity drove a fit of laughter from Kotomi’s stomach, to which Midorima jumped and glared harshly at her.

“I-I’m trying!” He almost whined at her. But Kotomi held her stomach and wiped a tear from her eye, scooted closer to Midorima and leaned up against him.

“I’m joking, you don’t have to change the way you speak for me. I know you’re a good person deep down, so as long as you can convey that to people, it’s okay to be a little prickly. At least with the people who love you.” Midorima’s expression melted into one of contemplation, slowly lowering his head to rest it on top of hers, a rare moment of indulgence for both of them.

 _I like how prickly he is. It makes moments like this even more special._ She knew if she said this outloud, it would ruin the moment.

“I want to be able to speak to you more informally...” He admitted while sounding like he was being strangled and held at gunpoint. “And...perhaps, Murasakibara...had a point.”

“Is that what this is about? Ahahaha!” Kotomi laughed behind her hand. “You sound like you’re in pain; Atsushi has good points! He’s simple, but not dumb.” The look he gave her questioned her sanity without him needing to say a word. It was probably better to stay away from the topic of the purple haired giant.

“Okay, then let’s practice, then? You wish to speak more intimately with me, correct? Why don’t you start by...calling me ‘Kotomi?’” She heard Midorima choke on his breath, which caused another fit of giggles to bubble up inside her chest. How could she not think he was cute? Soon, Midorima’s expression steeled over, becoming so determined that Kotomi had to pinch herself not to react.

_So serious about calling me by my first name, I can’t-!_

“K....Ko...” Kotomi straightened herself up so she could look up at him with hopeful eyes, hands clasped in front of her.

 _You can do it!_ She rooted for him silently while Midorima stared right back at her. His face was the same shade as the roses in the garden. “K-Ko-koko-....to....Koto....” He babbled, which didn’t help his wavering confidence. He was starting to sway in his seat.

“Um...Shintaro...?” Kotomi held out her hands, as if she was ready to catch him if he collapsed.

“Koto....koto....ko...to...” He shut his eyes and clenched his fists; Kotomi pursed her lips, and she was shaking just as hard as he was trying to contain her laughter. She couldn’t handle much more than this.

“Okay!” She suddenly clapped her hands, which snapped him out of his self-induced trance. “So that’s a bit much now.” He looked down, ashamed, but Kotomi’s eyes traveled over to the poem book. She picked it up and flipped through it curiously. When she found a good one, she took a deep breath and filled the quiet air with her voice:

 _Will I forget, I wonder,_ _  
Hollyhocks for my pillow  
Plucked and twined,  
Sleeping briefly in the fields  
On this dew-drenched dawning._

[ _http://www.wakapoetry.net/skks-iii-182/_ ](http://www.wakapoetry.net/skks-iii-182/)

Turning to Midorima, whose gaze never left her while she read, Kotomi returned the book to him.

“Maybe reading this will help you get used to it?”

“How so?” Kotomi hummed and smiled, pressing herself closer to him, which only made him tense.

“Imagine it’s me you’re reading them to?” At the mere mention of this, the fireworks seemed to short-circuit the green-haired teen entirely, as he went completely stiff and then stopped moving altogether. “Shintaro?”

Kotomi raised her brows in concern, as she tapped Midorima on the shoulder.

“Hey, Shintaro?” Like a stone statue, Midorima toppled over, completely frozen and still in his sitting position. Kotomi screamed and jumped up, flailing her arms. “Shintaro!? Shintaro! What’s wrong!?” She tried to prop him back up, but even with her training, he was practically dead weight.

“Hey, there you are, Kotomi-cchi! What did you-” As Kise and Kuroko poked their heads into the garden, Kotomi looked up, almost in tears.

“Ryota, Tetsuya, help!”

“W-whoa! Midorima-cchi, what happened!?”

“I-I don’t know, we were just having breakfast and reading and-” Kise gasped, hand on his chest like she had just broken his heart.

“So you lied and snuck off to hang out with Midorima-cchi instead instead of cuddling with me!? You’re so mean!”

“Never mind that, how do I fix it!?”

“He did it to himself, Kotomi-chan,” Kuroko deadpanned. “You should just leave him like this.” Kotomi and Kise stiffened and clung to each other, shaking.

“Uwah, Kurokocchi’s mad! I understand why, though!”

“But why!? Ah, Sa-chan!” As if there wasn’t enough chaos to go around, Momoi walked by the entrance to the garden, dressed for work. “Help, it’s Shintaro! I don’t know what happened, but he suddenly-!” Momoi took one look at him and raised an eyebrow.

“Koto-chan, you really need to be more aware of yourself.”

** Present Day **

“In the end, we never figured out what happened to him, but the maids said he would be fine.” She placed a hand on her cheek as she sighed.

“Little bird...” Kuroo placed a hand on her shoulder, a shadow casted over his eyes from his messy eyes. “You’re completely to blame, there.”

“What-!?”

“I don’t think I would have survived an attack like that.” Bokuto noted with a hand under his chin. Iwaizumi nodded in agreement.

“ _Can you guys focus on the point of the story?”_ She deadpanned. Kotomi glanced over to Oikawa, who still looked disappointed in Kotomi’s response, before she continued. 

“My point is they’re still my friends. Yesterday proved it. They just need time. I’m sure they’re worrying about things they don’t want to tell me about yet. I just have to be patient and wait for them.”

“But what about marrying that guy? Or the other two guys?” Oikawa asked urgently, his shoulders tensed with a note of desperation. Was he really that worried?

“Like I said, they need time. I’ll talk to them about everything else, but for now, I want to make them comfortable.”

“We get it.” Iwaizumi spoke for the rest as he ruffled her hair with a large, calloused hand. “Just don’t let them order you around, okay?” Kotomi smiled tenderly. Oikawa reached out and tugged on Kotomi’s cheek with a defeated sigh.

“The minute something seems wrong and you’re not okay, let us know, okay? We’ll come and help you.” He added. Bokuto and Kuroo nodded in unison and offered her a thumbs up as support.

“We’ve taught you well, little bird. If those friends of yours give you trouble,”

“You kick their asses!” Bokuto and Kuroo finished in unison again and Kotomi laughed, her nose crinkled at the bridge.

“Mou, you guys!” She threw an arm around the both of them. Bokuto turned red and practically melted in her arms, while Kuroo returned the hug with a shit-eating smirk directed at Oikawa.

 _SNAP._ Iwaizumi shot a seething Oikawa a bland look as his eyes traveled down to the stick he had been holding, now snapped in half.

“Just ask her and don’t take your anger out on those poor sticks.” Kotomi looked back at them. She already knew Oikawa well enough to know what he wanted to ask. She ran over and hugged him and Iwaizumi, who accepted with a small grunt as her small but compact body practically slammed into him.

“You happy now, you damn gorilla?” He asked. Oikawa didn’t answer, as he preferred to keep pressing his face into Kotomi’s shoulder like a child who finally released from time-out.

“Shut up, Iwa-chan.”

 _WHACK._ The fist raise meant to find home in Oikawa’s side drove Iwaizumi’s shoulder up, which then slammed into Kotomi’s nose. Iwaizumi flinched and jerked his head toward her, but his forehead made contact with her temple instead. All three of them parted as Kotomi held both assaulted areas with a cry of pain.

“Owch!”

“Little bird!” Kuroo gasped, but he was obviously holding in laughter.

“Shit! I’m sorry!” Iwaizumi cried, also holding his forehead.

“Iwa-chan, you monster-! Don’t try to hit me again!”

* * *

**Akashi Estate**

Kotomi rubbed the side of her head, wincing at the soreness of the spot. There was going to be a bruise tomorrow, she was certain. Oikawa’s response was even more panicked than the victim herself. Kotomi laughed to herself as she remembered how he sounded more like a monkey than a gorilla at the time. The only good thing that came from getting punched in the head was that it stirred Oikawa out of whatever bad mood he was in.

Once she finished assuring everyone she’s okay, and convinced Iwaizumi to stop glaring at his fist like he was going to chop it off, they parted ways for the day. Regrettably, she couldn’t stay for as long as she used to, now that Kuroko and the others were home.

At the very least, she needed a clearer image of who exactly Oikawa and the others were. How she explained them to Akashi and the others was key to setting the foundation. As she considered her options, Oikawa’s expression when he offered her a place among them came to mind yet again.

His serious side was so rare, Kotomi even ventured to say that he almost looked like a different person. But the image of Oikawa nagging Iwaizumi while he dodged his fists quickly tore the image apart with its rough gorilla hands.

“Even though he was trying to act so cool, earlier…” Her cheeks warmed at his offer as she giggled to herself. It didn’t seem like long ago that he wanted nothing to do with her. And yet here he was, offering her a place amongst them. She was touched. If it weren’t for her place here…would she fit in with people like that?

“Kotomi.” Recognizing his voice almost immediately, Kotomi slowely faced a sweaty and reticent Aomine standing behind her. He was in a tank top and shorts, drenched in sweat. She nodded politely, still incensed by the way he spoke to her two nights ago. Even now, she wished that he would go back to wherever he was that he was hiding from her these last few days.

“Daiki…” He seemed just as tense as she was, rubbing the back of his head. Kotomi’s lips twitched as she recognized his demeanor well enough to cool her hostility, just a little.

“You…what have you been up to? What were you laughing at?” He asked, still not meeting his gaze.

“I’ve been out.”

“Where to? Alone?”

“That’s none of your business, Daiki.” With her patience wearing thin and no apology in sight, Kotomi dismissed him in a clipped tone before she started to move her feet again.

“I’m sorry.” She paused and looked back at Aomine, but he avoided her gaze. A light dusting of red stained his cheeks. Her lips twitched. She still had a soft spot for those bashful, boyish faces.

“I still don’t want you out on the field, but I hate having you mad at me, too. Satsuki won’t shut up about apologizing to you, either. I know I went way overboard.”

“I’m not too concerned about your reaction, but more about the fact that you don’t think very highly of me.” When Aomine had nothing to say, Kotomi’s chest ached with disappointment. “I still want to talk more about this, but not now. I just want to enjoy that fact that you’re all home.” Kotomi looked him up at down, and then after a moment, she grinned. It was time to change the mood.

“Now what are you grinning about?” Aomine asked wearily, glad that she chose to change the subject.

“I was just thinking you came to me as you left: sweaty and gross.”

“Hey!” Aomine ‘s glaring softened as Kotomi laughed behind her hand.

“You still laugh the same way.” He noted with clear relief in his voice.

“Really? I used to put it up because that’s what Shiori-san used to tell me that ladies do, but now I just do it unconsciously.”

“Don’t become all prim and proper with a stick up your ass, Kotomi.” He nudged her lightly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Kotomi held her fingers over her eyes in the shape of circles, and deepened her voice to emulate their bespectacled friend.

“Aomine! Don’t use that kind of language, it’s indecent.” Aomine gaped.

“Whoah! That was good!” He laughed boisterously at this, grinning wide. Kotomi smiled right back, her heart warming.

“Eh…is something interesting happening?” Kotomi turned to face Murasakibara, who was chewing away on snacks already and coming from the direction of the kitchen, staring down at Kotomi. A massive hand ruffled her hair and offered her a cookie.

“Just joking around.” She responded, waving the cookie away in a polite refusal. Murasakibara expressed how pleased he was by ruffling her hair, which made her laugh.

“Atsushi!”

“Koto-chin is the best when she’s smiling and laughing…” But Kotomi flinched when Murasakibara’s finger brushed against her sore spot. She unconsciously turned her head away from his hand, revealing the red mark to Aomine. Rage flared up in his eyes as he gritted and bared his teeth like a switch flipped.

“Oi…Kotomi, where the hell did you get that?” He asked, the purplish veins in his tightly balled up fist popping out on his warm brown-toned skin.

“Huh?” Kotomi’s followed his gaze before her hand flew up to the side of her head. The look in his eyes made her entire body stiffen with hesitation. When she didn’t answer his question, he grabbed her by the upper arm to hold her in place as he pushed her hair out of the way with his other hand.

“Ow! Daiki, let me go!”

“You were punched?” He interrogated.

“I-I fell, I’m fine!” His eyes narrowed slightly, grip loosened at the sight of her wince, but he didn’t let go.

“If someone hurt you—” He snarled, but Kotomi snapped at him out of the fear and pain.

“The only person hurting me right now is you!” His grip loosened to a bearable degree, which gave Kotomi the opportunity to shake him off. His eyes widened as she yanked herself free with just a touch more force than necessary. She looked to Murasakibara, whose eyes were trained on the side of her head.

“Guys, I’m fine, really. I’m not some kind of glass princess who can’t take a fall or two. You’re overreacting.”

“Koto-chin, we have to be careful with you. You’re small and weak, you know?” Murasakibara reasoned. She bristled and her eyes narrowed. She didn’t train for the last 3 years to be treated like this.

“I’m not weak.” But neither of them seemed convinced.

“Weak people die easily, if they don’t have strong people protecting them. But you have me, so don’t worry too much.” With the way the purple teen spoke, she knew he _chose_ not to hear her, and repeated his point like it was just the law of the universe. She opened her mouth to retort, but the dark look in his eyes froze her tongue.

“And anyone who would hurt you…I’d crush them with everything I have.” Kotomi pursed her lips.

“Well you don’t need to. I _fell.”_ Neither were going to budge, which made Kotomi sigh in frustration, running her fingers through her hair. It was the first thing she came up with, so she couldn’t find a better lie at the moment. The best thing to do here was probably to retreat.

“Enough. I’m going now.” She walked past them both, until she felt someone grab her arm again. Ready to snap at them, Kotomi yanked her arm free and whipped around, but her voice dried out at the sight of crimson and gold.

If Murasakibara and Aomine’s glares were piercing, then Akashi stared down at her with an eerie scrutiny that peeled the layers of her skin back inch by inch. It was a chilling emptiness that ate up her insides, froze her thoughts and turned her muscles to ice. It was that eye of his, golden, not like KIse’s which was akin to honey or sunshine.

So cold. Even as he reached up and pressed a gentle hand to her face, Kotomi felt nothing but numbing iciness. She tried to speak, but found her voice caught by the unseen tundra of his gaze.

“I wondered what this commotion was…you fell, you said?” As if his question granted her permission, her voice returned.

“Yes, and that’s all. Please let go of me, Sei. I don’t like being grabbed by you guys so often.” A powerless squeak came in the place of what was meant to be a sharp tone. He knew she was lying. She didn’t need animal instincts to know that. But he refused to say anything.

All the while, he caressed her cheek, stroking one spot up and down with his thumb. Akashi wore an expression layered with some kind of shadow that warped its appearance before her eyes to something less wholesome than just pure affection.

“I see.” His voice was even, and his smile only grew as he embraced her, pressing his lips to the spot. “Forgive me. You’re just so small and pretty, and I missed you, is all. I’m sorry last night ended so abruptly. I’m sure you would have much preferred for me to propose properly. I will keep it in mind for the future.”

“That wasn’t the problem…” She couldn’t bring herself to return his embrace, which was too tight for her to pull away, but just loose enough for him to claim that the squeeze was unintentional.

“Oi.” Aomine growled in warning.

“Aka-chin…” Murasakibara ground out. There was warning in both their voices, but Akashi paid them no mind, and seemed quite content in just holding Kotomi close to him.

“How long will you guys be here?” She asked this before even realizing she had used her voice, her gaze fixated on the wall. After years of being separated, she hated herself for wishing that they would leave.

“Our break ends tomorrow. We have some business downtown, so we’ll be here indefinitely. Isn't that great?” Kotomi couldn’t bring herself to lie, and he wouldn’t like her honest answer, so she did neither.

“What business?”

“It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with, Kotomi.” He finally let her go, and her body thawed out. Akashi’s chuckle made her feel small.

“You look like a lost little kitten drenched in the rain. Don’t worry, we’ll be here to stay with you a while. Until then, let’s spend lots of time together, like always.” Turning to the other two, whatever look Akashi gave them forced Murasakibara and Aomine to retreat. With both of them shooting Kotomi a strange look, they turned their separate ways.

“By the way, Kotomi, I heard something interesting...” Kotomi pursed her lips and turned toward him while she kept her expression neutral. “Father told me that you were caught up in an incident two years ago.” Though her heart leapt to her throat, she tried not to show it.

_Calm down, Kotomi. You already figured they were going to find out sooner or later._

“Oh yes, I remember that.”

“Yes, he was impressed with how they said you saved a woman’s life, despite being so young. Even though you were reckless, your actions reflected well on the Akashi name.” The praise would have felt good if she didn’t know Akashi well enough to realize that praise wasn’t the point of this conversation. But she couldn’t read between the lines of the dialogue.

“I-I’m glad...” She was ashamed of how her voice cracked.

“You really are remarkable, my dear fiance.” He sounded more like he was admiring a piece of art than a person. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together and see what you’ll do with your life here in the Citadel.” The message was clear:

_You’re here to stay._

As Akashi walked away, Kotomi expelled her lungs, her stomach almost following suit. She opened and closed her hands, which trembled all the way down to her finger tips.

_Just give them time, don’t lose faith._

* * *

** One Week Later **

_Time…just give them…time._ Kotomi glared down at the paper in her hands. The words were black vermin in her blurry eyes; the indents she made cut through the fibers of the document and into her skin once more. She was glad to be alone in the middle of the library, because her cry of rage echoed in her own ears as her eyes narrowed.

_Time my ass!_

“To hell with it!” She cried. She threw everything but the notice down and stormed into the dining hall. The doors flew open so forcefully that she startled even herself. Kotomi stood in doorway of the dining hall, paper crumpled up in her fist. Her friends sat at a table, accompanied by a map of the territories. A strategy meeting? Yet another matter they told her nothing about.

“K-Koto-chan?”

 _Satsuki is here?_ Kotomi glanced down at the papers in her hands and surmised that her friend was probably helping them somehow. That added fuel to her unyielding fire, and topped this garbage flavored sundae with a moldy cherry.

Her head snapped toward Akashi, completely disregarding the shocked expressions of the others as she strode up to him and slammed the letter on the table. Akashi was unperturbed, and glanced down at the paper in her hand with an infuriating nonchalance before he smiled serenely at her.

“Is something wrong, Kotomi?”

“Is something _wrong...?”_ Kotomi seethed. Never in her life had she been this angry. It was a wonder she wasn’t throwing chairs and shrieking like a banshee. All that held her back was the satisfaction she knew they would feel if she acted so immaturely. The idea of them feeling justified in this betrayal was her only restraint.

“ You…I can’t…believe you.” Kotomi’s voice trembled with rage, her cheeks pink with the exertion of keeping her calm. “You _removed_ me from the medic program…?”

“I did.” Kotomi gaped. Not even trying to deny it...he _wanted_ her to lose it. Kotomi slammed her fist into the table top. Her fist ached, but the pain served to calm her enough to gain some rationality. Behind her, she felt shocked stares and cautious concern for her behavior, because they knew her. She never got angry like this, and certainly not at Akashi.

“Why…? Why would you do that?” Kotomi’s emotions warped and churned inside her, shifting gears as she audibly whimpered. “I’ve…I’ve worked so _hard.”_ Oikawa worked so hard. Iwaizumi worked so hard. Kiyoshi, Riko, Bokuto, Kuroo, Alex…they all worked hard with her to get to this point. And like nothing, Akashi took it away.

“It’s simple,” Akashi explained, rounding the table toward her. Kotomi instinctively took a step back, eyes widened as she unwillingly awaited his response. What about this could possibly make it okay?

“My orders are absolute.” Kotomi released an exhale that sounded almost like a laugh. “I told you that you wouldn’t be an on-site medic. If you agree to work in pediatrics, or ICU, I will rescind my decision to pull you out. But otherwise, you will remain here until you gain a sense of reason. I won’t stand for you coming back with injuries from training you don’t need. It’s not necessary.”

“Sei, are you _serious?_ You can’t manipulate me like this. We’re supposed to support each other, help each other… We’re…we’re…” Kotomi looked around for support, and found everyone in silent agreement with Akashi, demonstrated by lowered gazes, stern postures, and crossed arms. The suffocating isolation she felt threatened to swallow her whole.

“We’re...” _What were they at this point?_

When she found no solace or comfort, she inhaled like her lungs were broken, and her rage turned to despair so unrelenting that it threatened to collapse her legs and send her tumbling to the floor. Aomine suddenly stood while scratching his ear and growling.

“So loud… all you have to do is do what we say, and you can have what you want. It’s not that hard.”

“ _This_ isn’t what I want!” Kotomi’s chest burned as she plead. Her head turned to Momoi.

“Satsuki-chan...” Not even Momoi would look at her, and the betrayal cuts deep.

“Kotomi-chan, please...just drop it..” Kotomi knew that she probably looked insane, smiling despite her disbelief.

“Even you...? It must be nice, huh...? Since you don’t have to beg for a place among them...” She didn’t care how hurt Momoi looked. In fact, she wanted it to hurt her. But her revenge was short-lived and double-sided.

“Mou, Koto-chin! It’s really uncute of you to do this.” Murasakibara complained, finally throwing his food down. “Just accept that you’re too weak to be of any use to us.”

“You don’t know that!” She snapped right back.

“Of course we do, Kotomi-cchi! We’re just concerned about you, really!” Kise admitted, standing up and trying to pacify the tension in the room.

“You don’t know what it’s like there, you don’t belong in such a place.” Midorima countered.

“How can I...?” Kotomi asked, even if she already knew the response wouldn’t give her any answers. “You came home completely different people, and I said I’d give you time, but the longer you’ve been here, the more you’ve hid from me! How can I even begin to understand when I don’t know what’s happened to you guys…?”

Her question brought a hushed silence over the young men in the room. That odd, vacant expression returned to each of them, except for Aomine, who sauntered over to her.

“Dai-chan!” Momoi gasped, and Kotomi tensed as he drew his hand gun and pointed it right at her head.

“Aomine--!” Midorima leapt up to intervene, horrified at the blue haired man’s actions, but Akashi held up a hand to stop him. Kotomi didn’t move a single inch. Kiyoshi had always warned her _never_ to point at gun at someone she didn’t intend to shoot.

“We killed people.” Aomine said simply. “We killed in all kinds of ways, but mostly with these.” He pushed it closer to her head. But Kotomi wasn’t afraid of the gun, but the look in his eyes. “We killed so many people, and they died because they were weak. Some of them were younger than us. Some of them were women. But we killed because we had to. To protect this place. To protect you.” Kotomi scowled.

“Even if they were innocent?”

“Especially then.” Kotomi shuddered; a bead of sweat trickled down her temple. “Innocent people are the most dangerous, because they feel justified in their revenge.” Kotomi’s heart broke hearing someone who used to dream about being a hero say something like that, and it left her with nothing to say in response.

“Please don’t look like that, Kotomi-chan. We didn’t want you to know about that ugly side we had.” Kuroko pleaded softly. He looked empty despite his tone.

“We don’t want to expose you to that world, Fujisaki.” Midorima murmured. Kotomi felt like she was going to puke. Backing away from Aomine, she tried to exit the room, but Akashi blocked her way, catching her by the shoulders as she ran into him. As she looked up at him, her face paled; that cold, golden iris seeped into every pore of her body, sending chills and freezing her blood.

“Do you understand now, Kotomi? We’re doing this to ensure you a bright and happy future. It’s what you deserve, after all. Once this war is over, once we’ve eliminated our enemies, we can all be together forever, just like we always have—” She took satisfaction in the shock when she shoved him away.

“I didn’t make that promise with any of you…I don’t know who _any_ of you are…” She stormed without another glance in their direction. Her room was the only place she could breathe. This entire week she behaved herself, letting them be selfish with her time. This whole week she was been trapped a house of strangers she thought she knew. She immediately threw herself on her bed and screamed into her pillow, pounding the mattress with frustration.

_I want to throw up._

_I want to cry._

_I want to scream._

**_I need to get out of here._ **

* * *

** Back in the Dining Room **

“Kotomicchi…” Kise looked down in dismay as Kotomi runs off. Did she hate them, now? After what Aomine had told her?

“You guys, that was too much!” Momoi finally cried as she wrung her small hands nervously. “Kotomi is having a hard time too, so you can’t be so awful to her!”

“She’s just making it hard for herself, Satsuki. If she just does what Akashi says, she can be a medic again.” Aomine grumbled as he returned to his seat.

“That’s not what I mean, you idiot, Dai-chan…” Momoi bit her lip, looking down at the ground. Of course she was worried about her friends too, but in some ways she did agree that Kotomi was being a touch too reckless with her decisions.

“Are we going to just leave her like that?” Midorima asked cautiously.

“She’ll get over it. It’s Koto-chin, she loves us.” Murasakibara shrugged it off, back to casually eating his chips. Kuroko looked more worn than Kotomi herself. He just wanted Kotomi to be the gentle, happy girl he left her as.

“I’ll address the issue.” Akashi announced, returning to looking at the data on his chart. “We need to deal with the mission we’ve been assigned, so let’s get back on track.” Though no one was in the mood to look at stats and make plans, they knew Akashi’s patience for their hesitance wouldn’t last long.

“To think there was a bombing here while we were training. Surely that means that there are rats within the city borders.” Midorima was the first to change the subject, fiddling with the elephant ceramic sculpture he was carrying around.

“All we have to do is find them and kill them, right?” Momoi flinched at how casually Murasakibara asked this. She didn’t like that she was the only one still shaken by Kotomi’s confrontation.

“If they’re in the city, then they’re a threat to the people. That bombing two years ago killed 27 civilians and 4 first responders. Out defenses are low, which is why we’ve been assigned to patrol and hunt down suspicious activity.” Akashi recounted the orders sent to them. His eyes glanced in the direction Kotomi had run off. If the culprits were still there, he would destroy them. They were a threat to what he held most dear.

“First patrol is tonight, so be ready. You’re dismissed.” Once the meeting adjourned, Akashi called over a servant. Momoi glanced out of the corner of her eye in concern as she watched Akashi whisper something to the butler. He nodded towards the staircase, where her room and Kotomi’s room were situated.

“Tetsu-kun…” Momoi whispered to the lingering shadow, who still stared at the spot from where Kotomi fled from them.

“What is it, Momoi-san?” Momoi fidgeted and hugged her clipboard to her chest, looking down at the ground with a hopeful expression.

“I…we…you’ll talk to Koto-chan, right? You’ll make up with her? We’ve all been such good friends, I don’t want her to be fighting with you guys.” Kuroko’s expression softened, and he reached up to pet her head affectionately which caused the pink haired girl to blush.

“Of course, Momoi-san.” With that, he turns to leave. As she cleaned her materials up, Momoi couldn’t help but hope for those days beneath the plum blossom tree to resume once more.

* * *

** Kotomi’s Room **

Later that night, Kotomi woke up from a fitful sleep. Without thinking, she got out of bed and the next thing she knew she set up her pillows and arranged them in such a fashion that it looked like she was sleeping. She had never felt the need to be so sneaky before, and it made her feel even more like a prisoner than she already was.

Dressed in baggy clothes, pulling her hair into a ponytail, Kotomi finished her disguise with a baseball cap that she once borrowed from Kise but never returned. With one last look in the mirror, Kotomi nodded before she made her way to the door. She just didn’t want to be here, right now. She was going to wait until the afternoon under that tree. She didn’t care if she had to sleep outside tonight. Being anywhere was better than being here tonight.

 _Click._ Kotomi blinks when the door to her bedroom didn’t open. She tried it again a few times, thinking that she was just being absentminded and forgot how to open it. But no, it wasn’t opening.

It was locked.

But her bedroom door didn’t lock.

Kotomi took several steps back, and fell backward onto her rear from shock as it dawned on her. Did Akashi _lock_ her inside her own room? She growled, red flooding her vision. Suddenly playing sneaky didn’t bother her at all. With a sharp turn, Kotomi moved to the window, and felt insulted to find that it wasn’t locked like her door.

_You really underestimate me like this, Sei?_ She thought bitterly before opening the window, climbing down the awning and dropping the 10 feet to the ground. Her legs, powerful and sturdy from her training, had no issues taking the weight of her body. With a small smile of triumph, she ran in the direction of the city’s outskirts, a clear laugh escaping her as she felt like she won for the night, at least.

* * *

** Citadel, Downtown **

The city was eerily quiet as Kotomi walked through it, using the alleyways. It felt wrong to be walking out in the open with no one around. But somehow it was the most liberated she felt all week. She was defying her best friends, and she should feel guilty, but in actuality she felt so _free._ This self-satisfaction even served to soothe her anger, just a little. She sighed deeply, the chilly night air purifying her lungs tainted by the suffocation she felt before.

_A peaceful night…_ Kotomi let a smile touch her lips before she pulled her hood over her cap. She was so engrossed in the cool breeze that she didn’t hear the foot steps until they were too close.

 _Click._ The sound of the hammer of a gun being pulled back was too familiar to her. But before she could react, she felt the cold metal on the nape of her neck.

“Don’t move.” A deep, threatening voice instructed her firmly. Kotomi froze, almost wanting to throw yet another tantrum. Really? It seemed like she’s been cursed, lately. She slowly raised her hands, speaking calmly.

“I’m just on my way to visit a friend, please, don’t—” But the sensation disappeared and she was spun around by the shoulder so fast that it almost gave her whiplash.

“…Kotori-chan?” Kotomi found her assailant to be a bewildered Oikawa. It had been a full week since she saw him, to her own astonishment. With the boys breathing down her neck, she never had any time to go see them.

“Oikawa-san, Kuroo-san, Iwaizumi-san…” Kotomi breathes softly as she recognized the two standing behind the brunette as well. Their brows were also raised and furrowed. They were probably confused, and maybe even a little angry with her for disappearing. Even so, it awed her how the burden in her chest was suddenly 2 tons lighter just looking at their faces. “I was on my way to the tree just now...”

“Now? Why would you go in the dead of night??” Iwaizumi asked with a strained tone. Kotomi looked at the ground with pursed lips.

“Was it something those guys did again?” Kuroo asked cautiously. When her gaze remained on the ground, and lips pressed into an even tighter line, Oikawa sighed loudly with a tone reminiscent to relief.

“Geez, don’t scare me like that!” The designated gorilla groaned, which allowed the trapped air in Kotomi’s lungs to escape.

“Where have you been, little bird? You’re quite naughty, flying away without a word...” Kuroo immediately closed the distance between them. His strong, but careful arms enveloped her, and his warm, spicy scent relaxed her to the point that she felt her eyes sting with the beginnings of tears. “Why do you look so sad?”

Sad? She looked sad? Kotomi glanced at Iwaizumi and Oikawa, who were watching her as well, as if she were a wounded animal.

“I…I’ve been…” Kuroo looked down as she hiccupped. All her anger, frustration, anxiety and fear suddenly reared their ugly heads. Kotomi hid her face in his chest, sobbing softly as she coughed out an unrestrained sob. The three young men exchanged an expression of alarm and concern.

“It’s no use, I can’t recognize them…I’m trying so hard, but I’m…I’m _scared_ of them!” Kotomi squeaked, her knees weak. She felt Kuroo support her by pressing a firm, flat hand on her lower back.

“S-Sei put a lock on my door, he pulled me out of the medic program! And n-no matter how hard I screamed, no one would hear me!” She was choking on her words at this point. It felt like acid was burning her throat as she cried. “It was suffocating, I couldn’t take it anymore...I can’t do it anymore...I’m tired of trying to pretend like it’s all okay when they act like that!”

As she vented her frustrations, Kuroo stroked her shoulders, hushing her with quiet, baritone words of comfort. But the safer she felt, the faster her tears came. They were staining his vest and her face, wetting her lashes so they clumped up and stuck to her skin when they blinked.

“For now, let’s get you somewhere warm.” Kotomi slowly glanced up when she felt she had _some_ composure, even with the frantic twitching of her sobs. She was not expecting the enraged expression on Iwaizumi’s face, with how gently he spoke to her. Was he angry for her sake? She hoped so, because it meant she wasn’t crazy for being so upset.

“We should go somewhere less open…” Oikawa murmured. His expression was unreadable. Eyes half-lidded, lips pressed together. Kotomi finally pulled away from Kuroo, still whimpering and wiping at tears until her eyes were stinging from the chilly air touching the sensitive, raw skin under her eyes.

“I want to come with you.” She announced suddenly. When she felt sane enough to say it with resolve, Oikawa’s eyes widened. His expression only changed after a few moments to a small, crooked smirk.

“It’ll be hard, not like the cushy life you know now.”

“But it’ll be a free life.” Kotomi countered as she moved closer to him. Her immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and rested their foreheads together. As she closed her eyes and leaned into him, Kotomi felt the familiar warmth that she thought she would only ever feel for Kuroko and the others.

“A free life.” He repeated. Iwaizumi cleared his throat.

“Oi, we’re still here.” Kotomi pulled as she realized how close they were. Her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks warmed. Oikawa only shrugged and smiled mischievously, much to Iwaizumi’s visibly disgust.

“Bo is going to have a field day when he sees you, we’ll never get him to stop bouncing off the damn walls.” Kuroo sighed in false exasperation. The missing young man stirred Kotomi’s reasoning back to life.

“Wait, why are you guys here?” She asked. They all avoided her gaze at the question, which made her raise a brow. It probably had something to do with whatever group they were affiliated with.

“We’ve...well, we got worried when you stopped showing up. We thought something might have happened to you...” Kotomi’s eyes narrowed further.

_He’s lying._

“If it has something to do with what you guys are do when we’re not together...I’d prefer that over you lying to me.” Hurt, she crossed her arms and turned to the ground. “I snuck out to _avoid_ this sort of drama.”

“Little bird...it’s a complicated thing...” Kuroo began. Whatever face she made silenced him, however. But Kotomi was too numb to process what she did to warrant his hesitant expression, but she found that she didn’t care too much. It was hard to stay understanding tonight.

“I _know.”_ She snapped. “But you can’t expect me to just be okay with you trying to lie to me right now. Besides, you chose a bad week, Sei and the others…are…”

_“We have some business we were assigned to address indefinitely.”_ Kotomi suddenly realized the danger they were in. Her temper stopped boiling enough for her to turn to them. She grabbed Oikawa by the hand and gestured to the others.

“Get out of here.” She said suddenly. Oikawa looked stunned, as did the others.

“K-kotori-chan, I know you’re mad, but-” 

“Just go, you can’t be here!” She insisted, looking around frantically to make sure the streets were still empty. They were still in the clear, but she didn’t know how long that would last.

“I thought you were coming with us!” -

“Let’s meet up later!” She didn’t want to go back to that house right away, but if she could just pack her things tonight and then sneak out when the boys went to sleep in the morning--

“Good evening.” Kotomi’s blood went cold. She recognized that voice, but not the tone it used. It was normally a gentle, soft spoken, careful melody to her ears. But this voice was hard, cold, and devoid of emotion.

She looked towards the main street to see Kuroko, dressed completely in tactical gear, bearing a firearm that looked heartbreakingly too big for him. Kuroo and Iwaizumi tensed and unconsciously stepped in front of Kotomi, not realizing who he was to her.

“Hey, we didn’t even hear you, you know. Anyone ever tell you that you’re too quiet?” Kuroo asked lightheartedly, but she could see the lanky sinews of his arm tensed even through his long sleeved shirt. He reminded her of a cat with raised hackles.

Kotomi had only ever known Kuroko’s lack of presence as a means of pranking their friends, startling them during nights they camped in the backyard. But Kotomi quickly realized what a useful tool a low presence was elsewhere.

“I’m told that a lot. I thought I would like to inform you that there is now a 12 AM curfew on the city. The Citadel Army is here to inspect the perimeter of the city in response to the bombing that occurred here approximately two years ago.” Kotomi watched him from behind Iwaizumi. It seemed that Kuroko didn’t recognize her just yet.

_He still thinks I’m locked up in my room…_ She thought bitterly. It was best that she kept it that way.

“We were on our way home.” Kotomi couldn’t help but notice how calm and collected Iwaizumi was as he conversed with Kuroko, and how quickly he read the situation. Actually, they were all so composed that Kotomi had to admire for a moment how cool…no! No time to be distracted! She needed to try and think of a way to get them out of here without exposing herself.

“Since you’re outside after curfew, it’s policy that we do some quick background checks on you. Is that okay?” There was no real question here, everyone knew that. Kuroko knew that they were suspicious.

“We’d rather just go home,” Kuroo offered hopefully, but his hand was already trailing behind his back, where he likely had a weapon. Kotomi’s stomach flipped upside down as she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder. The weight and realization of who it was almost buckled her knees.

“Now, Now, don’t be so tense.” The lazy drawl of Aomine vibrated in her ear. Her shoulders stiffened and she angled her face away from his. Oikawa took a step back, eyes darting to Kotomi in alarm. No one had even heard him coming. Aomine’s voice echoed in her head.

_We killed people._ Her vision taunted her with a sea of blood and an old but terrifying nightmare that haunted her like a lingering ghoul. The her stomach was in her chest, restricting the movement of her lungs as she saw the looming shadow of Murasakibara cast upon a building, meaning he was just around the corner.

_Think, think! Don’t let your brain freeze up, or they’ll all be-!_

“Yes, Yes,” A familiar blonde with an empty smile but amicable tone came from the shadows. “Don’t be so cruel, we’re just doing our civic duty,” Kise crooned as he emerged around the corner, followed by Midorima, who pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Their expressions were relaxed, weapons drawn, with no warmth or humanity in their eyes.

_This is what war has done to them._ They were going to kill her friends, or worse, capture them. Kotomi knew that torture was something the Citadel’s military practiced, but she didn’t know the details. And she preferred for it to stay that way.

“Can we get on with this?” Murasakibara loomed over them from behind now; how he moved silently even with his massive size was a mystery. Oikawa looked up, brow twitching in fearful annoyance.

“What the hell…” He muttered, grinning wildly as he finally drew his own gun. He reached the same conclusion Kotomi did a few minutes ago.

Donning the same tactical gear as the others, but bearing a bayonet rifle, its silver blade gleaming in the light of the moon, Akashi appeared just behind Oikawa. She had been too focused on trying to calm herself to notice him arriving.

This was the _worst_ possible scenario. Kotomi could clearly see the nervous sweat, which formed on Oikawa’s temple as Akashi circled him like a predator. Kotomi shifted in preparation to move forward to stop him, but Aomine held her in place.

“Don’t move, bastard.” His dark tone sent shivers down her spine, and she was terrified of what sort of demon she would find in his royal blue eyes if she looked up. “I’ll snap your neck so fast you won’t feel the pain until you’re at the gates of Hell.”

“We don’t have to fight.” Akashi said amicably; but as he did so, he pressed the blade to Oikawa’s throat, the tip drawing blood. “If you just come with us quietly, we can sort this all out without any kind of trouble.” Oikawa scoffed.

“You should learn to lie better. Fine, then. Let’s go.” She realized with horror that they weren’t going to fight because she was here. If she could feel how imposing her childhood friends were as a novice in combat, then they could feel it in spades. They were going to give themselves in to avoid a fight.

_No…! No!_ Aomine looked to her, unable to see her face thanks to her hood and hat, as she took a deep, calming breath, eyes closed.

“Oikawa.” Both Akashi and Oikawa turned just as she suddenly drove her elbow back into his solar plexus, knocking the air out of Aomine and then driving her elbow up into his chin in the same move. She struck him so hard she hears his teeth clack.

Just like Iwaizumi taught her. Without waiting a second longer, she rushed Akashi at a low angle, body low and aiming for below his knees. The red-head raised his rifle, but her hat and hood fell off with her approach. With a loud grunt from the both of them, Kotomi tackled her longtime friend to the ground, hand pressed against his temple to keep him down.

Akashi’s eyes widened in recognition and shock. If the situation weren’t so dire, she would celebrate. But she had not time to feel smug because she shot up and looked back at her friends with a frantic expression which bordered on hysterics.

“Oikawa, **_run!”_** Before he could protest, she grinned reassuringly. “I’ll be just fine, go!” Kuroo was the first to trust her; he tapped Iwaizumi on the shoulder. The latter’s eyes lingered on her a moment. He grabbed Oikawa by the collar and ran for the alleyways. The brunette struggled and raised a hand to reach in vain for Kotomi.

“Kotori-chan! Hey! You idiot…! Iwa-chan, let me go! We can’t leave her!” As they disappeared into the alleyway, she knew that she had garnered enough attention to save them some time.

“Kotomicchi…?” Kise questioned weakly. With a deep, labored sigh, Kotomi turned to face the stunned rainbow-colored group. Removing herself from Akashi’s person, she stood up and faced them all head on.

Her fists were clenched, but her heart was no longer racing; in fact, it was slowing down. She had never felt more confident that she did the right thing just now. No matter what consequence she had to face. Aomine stood up, rubbing his chin and staring in disbelief at the blood running down his chin from where he bit his cheek.

“Kotomi-chan…?” Kuroko looks as if he was looking at a ghost, ironically. Kotomi opened her mouth to say something, but a hand shot up and grabbed her by the hair and yanked her downwards so she fell to her knees with the grace of a newborn fawn.

“Why…?” Akashi’s voice was calm but Kotomi knew that her next words had to be chosen carefully.

“Akashi!” Midorima protested. She wasn’t sure if it was because of how he grabbed her, or that he was letting Oikawa get away.

“Why did you just save them, Kotomi? You defied me.” Kotomi winced, his iron grip on her hair stung like no other, her head singing with the burning pain of having hair torn from their follicles. “They’re enemies…You’re ours… _mine._ ” Kotomi scowled in response to that, much to their shock. She must have looked feral to them.

_Forget careful!_

“The only enemies I can see…are the whole lot of you!” She practically spat this at him. It felt good to finally say what she wanted to. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but she looked him dead in the eye, confronting that golden hue with only a slight shaking of her frame. But it was improvement.

Her heart was racing, her nerves were hollering and clamoring, but she had never felt more _alive_ than in this moment. She knew they were hurt-hell, it showed in their eyes- but she didn’t... _couldn’t_ be sorry for what she did. She didn’t know these people, and she wasn’t going to let them do as they pleased. And especially to the people who were important to her. Akashi’s eyes narrowed, and his grip tightened as he ignored Kotomi’s cry of pain.

“Then perhaps I need to correct your eyesight.”


End file.
